The Bears signed D'Andre Swift to a three-year deal last offseason worth $24M. Swift was coming off a great year with the Eagles, but I think at this point, we could say anyone who has carried a football before would excel behind that offensive line. Swift showed some flashes last season with the Bears, but his vision is not great, and new head coach Ben Johnson may look to upgrade that room. Johnson was in Detroit when they traded Swift to the Eagles after selecting Jahmyr Gibbs, so it is already documented that Johnson is not infatuated with Swift.
The 2024 Big Ten Running Back of the Year would come in and immediately be an upgrade over Swift. What he lacks in final top-speed, he more than makes up for with vision. He is a patient, one-cut runner who explodes through the line of scrimmage. He finished seventh in the nation in rushing last season with 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is also a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield, though he does not possess the twitchy routes of some of the premier pass-catching running backs.
The Bears will not gain all that much by releasing Swift, and the trade market might not be crazy for a guy who is already on his third team in five years. A tandem of Johnson and Swift can be something to work with, though, as Swift can provide a change of pace and third-down responsibilities while Johnson takes on a lead role.