Coming off a Pro Bowl berth and his healthiest NFL season, D’Andre Swift has an advantage on this year’s market. Of the higher-profile starters, the four-year veteran is the youngest and freshest. The Bears showed immediate interest and are making a deal.
Expected to make an aggressive push to land Swift (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter), the Bears now have a new running back. Chicago is giving Swift a three-year, $24M deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. Chicago is frontloading this deal, albeit slightly, with Garafolo indicating Swift will receive $16.5M over the deal’s first two years.
Going into his age-25 season, Swift has logged 593 career carries. Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley‘s totals dwarf that. While those two are still the top backs on the market, Swift is drawing interest. Although the Texans showed interest, the Bears will make the first free agency splash this year.
The RB market took several hits last year, but the cap spike stands to help players at all positions. And Swift drew two early suitors, helping his first free agency foray. His early deal will help set the 2024 market. The numbers point to Barkley and Jacobs doing well, though the guarantees here will better illustrate the deal.
The Bears certainly enjoyed an extensive look at Swift during his Detroit years, though GM Ryan Poles was only in place in his role for the 2022 season — one that featured a Swift demotion of sorts as Jamaal Williams seized the Lions’ lead role. But Swift helped his cause in Philly, joining Miles Sanders in that regard. Despite Sanders struggling in Carolina, Chicago will dive in on the latest Eagles starter.
Acquired during the draft, Swift totaled 1,049 rushing yards after commandeering the lead role from Kenneth Gainwell in Week 2 of last season. While Swift benefited from running behind a top-tier Eagles O-line, he showcased plus pass-game ability with the Lions in the past. The former second-round pick produced 452 receiving yards for an undermanned 2021 Lions team, getting there in 13 games. Nagging injuries, of course, have been a Swift drawback. But it appears teams are ready to see how he will look in their offense.
The Bears were not exactly thin at running back, making this signing interesting. Khalil Herbert remains on his rookie deal, and the team drafted Roschon Johnson in the 2023 fourth round. Travis Homer is under contract as well, though D’Onta Foreman had played out another one-year deal. Swift’s contract does not leave much doubt about where he stands in Chicago’s backfield pecking order. The recent Pro Bowl selection will parlay that Eagles run into a starting role in the Windy City, as the Bears are heading toward a Swift-Caleb Williams backfield.
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