Chicago Bears: 3 under the radar free agent running backs

T.J. Yeldon

Finally, we get to the player with the most ‘name recognition.” T.J. Yeldon, the former standout for the University of Alabama, will likely be moving on from his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yeldon had a fine rookie season in which he rushed for 740 yards in only 12 games. However, he saw a significant drop in production the following year, racking up only 465 yards. That offseason, the Jaguars drafted Leonard Fournette out of LSU, and Yeldon’s role diminished even further.

There are some risks associated with Yeldon. The Bears have done a magnificent job revamping its locker room culture. In previous years, there were players who may not have bought into the team and were not fully committed. That changed with Matt Nagy’s first training camp when those players found their way off the team.

Last season, Yeldon was publicly chastised by Jaguars executive vice president, Tom Coughlin, who took exception to Yeldon’s apparent lack of interest while sitting on the bench during a loss.

However, it’s important to remember that up till that point, Yeldon was not known as a problem player. And getting dismantled every week the way the Jaguars did last season takes its toll, and focus can tend to wane.

Yeldon is the type of player that can handle a more substantial workload. He is physical enough to take the bulk of the carries if needed and can be a guy to put in for short-yardage situations. He’s definitely the most intriguing of the three options, and one to watch for sure.