The NFL's current salary cap situation affords the Bears an opportunity to replace a free agent running back with another experienced, healthy player at the position for very little cost.
D'Onta Foreman is their only unrestricted free agent running back, after he played on a one-year contract for $2 million in 2023.
The financial situation with running backs has gone from grave to pitiful. There are 38 defensive ends, 32 wide receivers, 21 cornerbacks, 20 quarterbacks and even 13 tight ends who make $10 million a year on average with their contracts and only nine running backs. In fact they're the only nine backs making more than $7 million a year, all figures according to Spotrac.com. There are fewer running backs making $10 million or more than at any position on offense or defense except center, and centers average more per year ($3.7 million ) than running backs ($2.35 million).
The only NFL positions making less on average per year than running backs are punters ($2.043 million) and long snappers ($1.196 million). Backs make less now on average than kickers ($3.168 million). Fullbacks are dinosaurs in the NFL, as only about half the teams have this position on their roster. Yet, they make more on average than running backs ($2.686 million).
All of this said, the $2.35 million a year for a running back is more than teams spend on most rookie running back contracts. So the Bears would seem more likely to draft any backs they add.
The Bears got good value from their backs last year, spending $5.9 million on them, good for 20th most in the league. And they finished second in rushing. However, they also had quarterback Justin Fields lead them in rushing for the second straight year.
If they switch quarterbacks to Caleb Williams, the rushing yardage is going to need to be achieved more conventionally and they might need more effective play from backs or more backs.
Foreman's productivity was relatively high for someone with his experience and at this cost. His 3.9-yard average was the lowest of his career, except for when he had only seven carries in 2018 due to injury with Houston.
With Foreman, retention is going to be less a matter of what he has done than it is what he can do for the offense of new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
This would seem to be very little, considering how the Seattle offense used backs. First, Waldron didn't run as much, as the Seahawks finished 27th, 22nd and 27th in rushing attempts the last three seasons with him as coordinator.
The only back they had over 214 pounds in Waldron's three years was Rashaad Penny (220) and he was allowed to leave after the first two years in free agency. Foreman is 235 pounds.
Waldron used multipurpose backs in the range of 210 to 215 pounds and Foreman, although better at receiving than had been suggested before signing, was more of a load-back type who could stand back deep and pound away at a defense. He was good at what he did as a runaway train type. However, lack of dimensions to his game made him less of a fit in Luke Getsy's offense and he was inactive eight times, only once due to injury. He would seem to be even less of a fit for Waldron's offense.
The Bears could definitely do worse than bring back Foreman because of his power and speed, but an all-purpose back or even more specifically, a third-down back with speed, receiving and blocking ability would be an even better fit if they could find such a person. Roschon Johnson showed promise as an all-purpose power back. Elusiveness, speed and pass-catching ability together has been something the Bears have lacked in a back since Tarik Cohen's season-ending knee injury making a fair catch in 2020.
It's more likely they'd find their fit in the draft than amid the underpaid free agent backs of the NFL, because this niche backs with particular skill setss would be in higher demand.
And, sadly, no one wants to pay more for backs these days.
Bears UFA Projections
RB D'Onta Foreman
Measurements: 6-foot, 235 pounds
Age: 27
2023 Cap Cost: $2 million
2023 Production: 109 carries, 425 yards, 4 touchdowns, 3.9 yards per carry, 7 broken tackles, 15.7 attempts/broken tackle; (career-high) 11 catches, 77 yards, 1 TD. Nine games, eight starts.
Years with Bears: 1
Years in the NFL: 7
BearDigest 2024 UFA Projection: Leaving
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