It sounds like Ben Johnson has plans for Bears rookie Kyle Monangai
D'Andre Swift was brought in as a free agent ahead of last season, but he hasn't been as productive as they hoped coming in. Roschon Johnson, who the Bears selected in the 2023 NFL draft, is a solid back, but he hasn't proven himself to be a number one either.
In the 2025 NFL draft, Chicago selected Kyle Monangai in the seventh round to join the running back room. He was seen as the third guy on the depth chart ahead of camp, but that may not be the case as the season progresses. Head coach Ben Johnson seems to have a plan for the rookie.
'I'm very pleased with where he's at,' Johnson said after Family Fest. 'I think he's a guy we're gonna be able to trust this fall.'
Does this mean that Johnson doesn't trust Swift or Johnson? Of course not, but it does mean that he plans on using Monangai, perhaps more than anyone thought.
Having three running backs contributing isn't necessarily conventional in the NFL, but the Bears could make it work. Nobody has made the case to be the undisputed top running back since coming to Chicago, and Johnson is ready to try to get the most out of every player.
When Johnson was the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, he found success with Jared Goff throwing the football. None of it would have worked well, however, with that strong running attack, and they had no problem using more than one running back with the duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. We'll see if he can duplicate it in Chicago, where Monangai could be a contributor.
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