Chicago Bears trade away 2021 draft pick to Bengals

The Bears’ offense currently ranks 23rd in rushing yards per game (111.8). First-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron prefers a backfield rotation of D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Doug Kramer. Despite the team’s struggles in the red zone, Chicago released Khari Blasingame earlier in the season.

Herbert has seen less production with Waldron. The 2021 sixth-round pick has appeared in six games this season and has carried the ball eight times for 16 yards. The 26-year-old has rushed for 1,791 yards on 372 carries (4.8 yards per rush average) and nine touchdowns in his four years with the Bears. The only year he hasn’t run well is with Waldron, as he was successful (at least carrying the ball) in the offensive schemes of Matt Nagy and Luke Getsy.

The Bears trade Khalil Herbert

Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Bears traded Herbert to the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Trade,” Pelissero wrote on X. “The Bears are sending RB Khalil Herbert to the Bengals, per sources. Agents Samantha Sankovich and Chris Cabott of EquitySports facilitated the trade, which bolsters Cincinnati’s backfield after Zack Moss’ neck injury.”

The Bears will receive a 2025 seventh-round pick for Herbert. The five-foot-nine, 212-pound running back played for Kansas in college before transferring to Virginia Tech before the 2020 season. The native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida would earn second-team All-ACC honors in 2020.