Chicago Bears: Underrated running backs in 2019 NFL Draft
By Ryan Heckman
For Chicago Bears fans, much focus has been on the running backs in the 2019 NFL Draft.
This offseason, the Chicago Bears have taken a much more modest approach. Coming off a year where they won the NFC North after having added a plethora of talent in the spring of 2018, there isn’t a whole lot left to do.
Chicago signed a few players to fill some holes, but no big money was given out. The very first player signed via free agency came by way of the Seattle Seahawks and running back Mike Davis. Following that signing, the writing was on the wall for Jordan Howard.
Sure enough, the Bears wound up trading Howard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a sixth-round draft pick — which could ultimately become a fifth rounder — in 2020. Now that Howard is out of the picture, it’s Davis and Tarik Cohen leading the way in the back field.
But, most believe the Bears aren’t done at that position and will likely add a third back to the equation through the 2019 NFL Draft.
General manager Ryan Pace was fairly aggressive last year in dealing his 2019 draft picks in order to acquire both Anthony Miller and Khalil Mack. Because of that, Chicago has to wait until pick no. 87 to begin drafting this year. Not having a selection within the first two rounds might seem tough to some fans, but for Pace, he’s going to begin where he feels most at home.
The mid-to-late rounds are where Pace has done some of his best drafting — for example, Cohen and Howard, as well as Eddie Jackson and Adrian Amos.
Everybody wants to talk about Josh Jacobs and Miles Sanders, among other top backs. But, if the Bears look a bit deeper, they could find some value in those later rounds. Much has even been made about the likes of Devin Singletary, Darrell Henderson, David Montgomery and Justice Hill, but I’m looking elsewhere if I want some significant value.
Let’s say the Bears don’t feel running back is the best position on the board at pick no. 87. Going forward through the fourth round and later, here are some backs the Bears could be eyeing which may fit well with Matt Nagy and the offense.