Chicago Bears: Risky free agents that could pay off
By Ryan Heckman
Running Back Bilal Powell
Back in October of last year, Bilal Powell suffered a neck injury that was deemed career-threatening by several outlets. He only appeared in seven games in 2018, rushing for 343 yards and catching 11 passes for 110 yards and one score.
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If Powell recovers fully from his neck injury, he would be a great speculative add who could provide depth at the running back position. In eight years with the New York Jets, Powell has become one of the better backup running backs in football.
At times, he was tasked with carrying the load due to injuries in front of him. In 2016, he totaled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns while only starting four of his 16 games that year.
On top of boasting a career average of 4.4 yards per carry (solid for an 8-year span), Powell has caught 204 passes. He’s a proven multi-dimensional running back who would fit in well with what the Bears are doing on offense.
Like the other guys on this list, if he were to come cheap, I would have no problem with the Bears adding him. The value of depth at this position and potentially having three backs who are capable of significant playing time is indispensable.