It's time for Bears to embrace tush push with their own version

Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett sees the value.

“You’ve got to stop it," Jarrett said. "It's been stopped before, not at a high rate, but don't let them get third-and-one, don't let them get fourth-and-one. You know what's coming.

"I’ve played Philly a lot of times–they are a tough group, and they have a combination of players and a quarterback to make it very successful. At the end of the day, the rules are the rules, and you got to find a way to stop it.”

The argument against it by some was health. But the problem for the Bear is they don't have a quarterback who knows how to run it.

In fact, Caleb Williams isn't a very good quarterback to run this play. He hasn't run the few quarterback sneaks they tried very well and doesn't seem equipped to tunnel his way into the line of scrimmage.

“I don't think anybody has gotten hurt yet," Jarrett said. "That's where you have a legit argument. I don't think anybody is getting hurt. It's a compromise position that guys are down in."

The Bears need someone to run it who is athletic, big enough and preferably with good hands for taking the snap. Here's a potential list ranked.

6. C Doug Kramer

They make the poor guy take handoffs and block when he's supposed to be a center. He's familiar making center snaps and running. That's close enough.

5. QB Caleb Williams

Just because no one has been injured doing it yet doesn't mean no one will. No sense putting your passer in harm's way.

Williams looks too awkward running the ball and putting him in that prone position with someone shoving him forward into a pile could easily result in a hamstring, Achilles, calf or groin injury, if not something worse.

4. TE Cole Kmet

He should be ideal as a former quarterback in high school at one time and as a big, athletic player. However, the Bears have tried him at occasional quarterback sneaks and he hasn't been the most successful at this. He got stuffed in the 2023 season opener at his own 40 by Green Bay and they set the tone for the 38-20 loss. It was a dumb gamble anyway.

Kmet would be a decent choice because it would give him something to do. It seems he's going to lose reps this year because of Colston Loveland.

3. TE Colston Loveland

Big, athletic, not as heavy as Kmet and still very solidly built, but Loveland is a rookie and it's hard enough for them to figure out their own position in the league, let alone carry the ball on a tush push. He's a possibility but the ideal player might be a little shorter, quick-twitched to the hilt and with experience taking the ball under center. Loveland has that valuable rodeo experience and in a play such as this it might come in handy.

2. RB Roschon Johnson

Johnson also was a dual-threat high school quarterback like Moore.He layed at Port Neches-roves High School. Johnson's other advantage is his size. He is almost the same size as the Eagles' Hurts. Johnson is 6-1, 225. Hurts is 6-1, 223.

With Johnson's power running style, he should be able to take the center snap and plow forward with assistance.

1. WR DJ Moore

If there is danger to this position, it wouldn't be good putting their best wide receiver under center to be pushed from behind. Still, they do have depth at receiver and the reason he'd be perfect is his size athleticism and more than anything else, is experience. Moore was a dual-threat quarterback at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. when he was in high school. He has experience handling the ball in the NFL and should be able to do this. He's 5-11, 210 and big enough to power forward in a tush push situation.