Chicago Bears: Five players primed to break out in 2019

It may not be considered a “breakout” season if the player who turns heads is a rookie, but David Montgomery appears to be ready to make an immediate impact on the Bears offense.

The Jordan Howard trade was perhaps the only move in the Ryan Pace era that I genuinely saw as a poor decision. First of all, Howard is not only a young player, but he is also a former Pro-Bowler and 1,000-yard rusher. The verdict on his way out the door was that he does not fit in the Matt Nagy offense, and although this may be true, Howard was only given one season to adjust to the new system and ended up playing progressively better throughout the season. Additionally, not only did the trade did not bring much back to Chicago in return, but it also left a hole at the running back position with nothing more than a third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft and limited cap space.

Enter David Montgomery, a player who was thought to be on the Chicago radar and was selected by the Bears in the third round of this year’s draft after the team traded up to get him. Many analysts believed that Montgomery was not only a good fit for what Matt Nagy is looking for in a running back, but also was arguably the best back in the draft. It is no secret that Ryan Pace excels at drafting in the late rounds, and Montgomery appears to be yet another example of this.

Montgomery has had a phenomenal preseason and camp, and many reports have come out stating the affinity that the organization as a whole has for the rookie. Montgomery’s ability to break tackles and catch out of the backfield is going to be crucial in the success of the young offense. If he is truly NFL-ready and star-studded as the Bears and the media believe, he could be the difference between a second-round Playoff exit and bringing the trophy back to Chicago.