Bears inactivity in running back trade market already speaks volumes

It's obvious the Bears were concerned about the position because they held a running back tryout before Wednesday's signing of Royce Freeman.

GM Ryan Poles had signed Freeman in December to the practice squad when they needed help with numbers, but the 29-year-old back didn't stick around long. The Rams signed him at the start of the playoffs for practice squad help, but then didn't give him a contract for this year.

The 238-pound back isn't viewed as any sort or solution for the season, though. The fact he was here recently means little because he doesn't know this Bears offense.

Signing Freeman without simply trading for available Robinson or another back indicates Poles is satisfied with ...

• 1. The number of available people they have on the roster now.

• 2. That the injuries they have are not a problem for the regular season.

There are still 18 days until games count and Poles must be convinced they'll have their injured backs full strength. This includes Kyle Mongangai, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer.

The key here is Johnson. He's supposed to be their power back answer and has a history of being unavailable due to injuries. He currently has a foot injury.

Freeman was added only to replace Deion Hankins, who went on IR with an injury suffered Sunday.

The quality of the running back room has not been upgraded the way it would be with a 26-year-old powerful runner like Robinson.

They still have Ian Wheeler and recently acquired Brittain Brown behind D'Andre Swift, but those three and Reynolds are the only backs available to face Kansas City.

There is always the possibility Poles is just waiting because he thinks the Commanders would cut Robinson. The report by Russini would pretty much guarantee the Bears will never be able to claim Robinson on waivers if he is released because their place in the waiver pecking order would be after Cleveland and New Orleans.

Trading for Robinson now would give him time to get into the playbook and be ready for the opener.

The fact they haven't done it with other teams also interested says they don't really perceive this is a need, and their injured backs will be healthy.

There is one other factor involved, though. There are any number of teams in the league with backs who could be cut. There might be enough that even with the Bears down the waiver wire order they would still be able to add one after the preseason, but they're wasting time and gambling with the waiver order by doing this.

Poles, it appears, is basically saying he's good, and he wouldn't believe this if coach Ben Johnson wasn't on board.

However, they still have one preseason game to try and get through without backfield injuries before this can be called a course of action set in stone.