The Chicago Bears got the party started early to kick off this year's free agency frenzy by agreeing to terms with running back D'Andre Swift soon after the legal tampering period opened up on Monday but stayed quiet the rest of the day.
The Bears were heavily rumored to be interested in a top running back on the market entering the start of free agency and moved quick to secure their guy.
Chicago also had reported interest in Saquon Barkley but his high price tag drove the Bears out of the running. Instead, the Bears and Swift agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal. Here's three reasons why this major signing is important for 2024.
1. Competition in the Backfield
Swift enters into the Bears' backfield that already features Khalil Herbert and 2023 rookie Roschon Johnson while immediately becoming the lead back in the room. During the 2023 season, Swift totaled 86 more rushing yards than Herbert and Johnson combined in route to his first 1,000 yard rushing season.
The last Bears' running back to reach such a mark was David Montgomery in 2020 (although quarterback Justin Fields reached 1,000 rushing yards in 2022). Swift also will be a great change of pace compared to Herbert, then you add in Johnson, who served well in pass protection during his rookie season.
When looking back to Shane Waldron's offense with the Seattle Seahawks, the rushing game was constantly inconsistent with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. The disconnect on the ground mainly stemmed from the offensive line. In Chicago, the Bears' offensive line has produced a Top-2 rushing attack each of the last 2 seasons.
2. He's a Dynamic Weapon
Swift's offensive skillset also gives the Bears' offense a dynamic back to work with in a variety of ways which will be especially critical during late game situations by being a player the unit can keep on the field and perform different roles in the hurry up.
The Eagles' offense in 2023 failed to effectively use Swift out of the backfield as a pass catcher on passing downs, leading to career-lows in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. During his first 3 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Swift was able to showcase his receiving capabilities out of the backfield that could be rejuvenated within the Bears' offense which will be a major plus for a young quarterback.
Beyond his work in the passing game, Swift is also just an overall big play waiting to happen on offense. Since entering the league in 2020, Swift's 5.3 yards per touch is the sixth-most among running backs with 500+ touches, trailing on Christian McCaffrey, Nick Chubb, Aaron Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and Austin Ekeler. That's pretty elite company to be mentioned alongside.
3. Uninspiring Draft Class / Lack of Selections
The final reason why the Bears' aggressively looked to sign a running back in free agency should be clear considering the rumors started circulating right after the 2024 NFL Combine ended last weekend. The running back class is not an inspiring group.
The Bears' front office left Indianapolis unsure about the upcoming draft class at the position, even though some prospects still had solid weekends. And that seems to be a shared sentiment around the rest of the league based on how the market looked today during the first wave of free agency.
On top of that, the Bears only have five draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft and running back is rarely viewed as a premium position in the draft. With all of this factored in, this decision just made too much sense for the Bears' front office to make. As for the deal itself, yes the price is seemingly high, but Swift will be around for the long run once Herbert's contract expires following the 2024 season and he's only 25-years-old.
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