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Chicago Bears among teams listed as a trade fit for top AFC running back

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 1:42 PM ET

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles isn't shy when it comes to making aggressive moves that he thinks can help his team make a run for the playoffs.

He did it with the now infamous trade for Chase Claypool in 2022, and while that move didn't work out in the Bears' favor, it was proof that Poles will pull the trigger on a trade if he thinks the timing is right.

With the Bears all even at 2-2 in their bye week, there's a chance Poles will view this year's team as one that make a run for the playoffs. But in order to bolster those chances, Ben Johnson's offense could use a boost in the running game.

Veteran D'Andre Swift hasn't been effective as Chicago's lead back. The Bears rank 24th in the NFL in rushing, averting 102.3 yards per game and just 3.8 yards per carry.

While it would be unfair to put all the blame of the Bears' rushing struggles on Swift, he certainly deserves his fair share. Swift has run for just 187 yards through four games and is averaging a career-worst 3.3 yards per carry.

Simply put, after one and a quarter seasons in Chicago, Swift is moving closer to proving he's more of a change-of-pace back than a player that Johnson can hitch his wagon to.

As a result, the Bears are on the short list of teams connected to several veteran running backs who could find end up in the trade market, especially if their teams continue to fall out of the playoff race.

One of those guys is New York Jets star Breece Hall, who was linked to the Chicago Bears in a recent trade projection by Pro Football Sports Network.

"The Chicago Bears are another team in transition, having hired Ben Johnson, the other half of DanCampbell’s Detroit coordinator duo, as their head coach," PFSN wrote. "Johnson has made several big moves on both sides of the ball, most notably in the trenches, and gained several new offensive weapons in the draft.

"However, the team’s lead running back is D’Andre Swift, who spent a year under Johnson in Detroit before being moved on. Swift has been competent as a versatile three-down back this season, but has fallen well short of Johnson’s high standards from his time with the Lions."

The Bears will take a long look at the depth chart during the bye week. There's a good chance that rookie Kyle Monangai will get a bigger chunk of carries over the next few games, but if the ground attack remains inefficient, a trade like a mega-move for Hall can't be dismissed as unrealisitic.

Breece Hall gets loose for 22

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— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025

It's especially true if the Chicago Bears can land Hall for the cost outlined by PFSN, who has the asking price as a 2026 third- and sixth-round pick.

That's more than a fair deal for Hall, who, when he's at his best, is one of the five or six best pure running backs in the NFL.

Hall, 24, has run for 238 yards through four games and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, the second-best average of his young career.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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