The Chicago Bears’ heavy investment in the run game led by D’Andre Swift received a new update on Tuesday when the Bears opted to bring in four different running backs for workouts.
The list includes Israel Abanikanda, Raheem Blackshear, Montrell Johnson Jr., and ShunDerrick Powell — a clear signal the front office is proactively shoring up depth while Swift battles a nagging groin problem.
Swift, a second-round pick in 2020 (No. 35 overall) out of Georgia, built his reputation as a multi-purpose, receiving back with the Detroit Lions from 2020-2022 before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 and signing with the Bears in 2024.
Over his career, he’s tallied 4,152 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns on 946 carries (4.4 yards per carry), along with 1,990 receiving yards and nine receiving TDs on 255 catches (7.8 yards per catch).
This includes three seasons (2021, 2023, 2024) with more than 1,000 scrimmage yards.
However, he’s arguably shown the most flash this season under new head coach Ben Johnson, posting 464 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 100 carries (4.6 yards per carry), along with 192 receiving yards and one receiving TD on just 18 catches (10.7 yards per catch).
This puts him on pace to finish the NFL season with a career-high 1,061 rushing yards, 439 receiving yards, and 11 total TDs, which would total 1,499 yards from scrimmage.
Unfortunately, he was ruled out for Sunday’s 47-42 thriller over the Cincinnati Bengals after missing multiple practices with a groin issue; Roschon Johnson has also missed time with a back injury, pushing the Bears to rely solely on rookie RB Kyle Monangai, who carried the load with 26 rush attempts for 176 yards.
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Abanikanda, Blackshear, Johnson, and Powell are all talented young RBs with elite college production (yet limited pro experience) who could be short-term replacements or simply added depth depending on health and need.
The workout flurry comes while the Bears sit at one of their better starts (5-3) and navigate a crucial midseason stretch — one in which maintaining a steady run game will be important to protect a rookie QB and an evolving offense.
Upcoming matchups include at-home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) as well as road matchups against the Minnesota Vikings (4-4), Green Bay Packers (5-2-1), and the Eagles (6-2).
Swift’s practice reports in the coming days and any follow-ups from the Bears will determine whether this is a short-term rest or something that forces Chicago to chase a more durable midseason addition.
If, for whatever reason, Swift’s recovery lags, expect the team to sign one of the tryout RBs to the practice squad or active roster.
