The Chicago Bears might be active in the running back market this offseason. They still have to figure out what to do with D'Andre Swift, and they might not be entirely sold on Kyle Monangai after he hit a wall late in his rookie season.
That's why watching the Green Bay Packers retain one of their free agent targets who possesses sneaky potential despite a low price point was such a tough blow. As reported by his representation, One West Sports Group, on X, Chris Brooks will stay with the Packers on a two-year, $4.85 million deal, helping Chicago's division rival sort out its messy backfield situation.
Chris Brooks Would've Been a Solid Free Agent Addition for the Bears
Brooks would've given the Bears some solid intel on Matt LaFleur's team. Of course, he's not the big-name signing who's going to move the needle much, but he can contribute to the offense and to special teams at a lower cost than more well-known options.
The Packers mainly used him as a third-down/change-of-pace guy. He turned 27 carries into 106 yards, providing strong value as a pass-protector, taking the field for 157 passing plays. He also played 247 snaps on special teams.
The Bears, on the other hand, had one of the most proficient rushing attacks in the league last season. Their 144.5 rushing yards ranked third in the league, and both of their primary ball-carriers topped 900 yards from scrimmage.
That said, their salary cap situation might force their hand to part ways with D'Andre Swift. According to Over The Cap, Ryan Poles' team is $7.46 million over the salary cap, and trading or cutting Swift would, coincidentally, free $7.47 million.
Swift amassed 1,087 rushing yards on 4.9 yards per carry and had 34 receptions for 299 yards, totalling ten touchdowns (nine rushing), showing how valuable he can be to this offense moving forward. Even so, the Bears will most likely prioritize fixing their defense in the offseason, thus making him somewhat expendable.
Monangai, on the other hand, showed signs of promise early in the season. He ran with hunger and a huge chip on his shoulder, piling up yards after contact and bruising his way through the tackles, providing huge value as a seventh-round pick. Unfortunately, he appeared to hit a rookie wall during the stretch run, which makes the possibility of leaning on the former Rutgers standout to be Chicago's RB1 a tougher sell than the alternative.
That's why the Bears might be hesitant to part ways with Swift or might be actively looking for reinforcements for their backfield. Now, with one less cheap option off the table, they will have to keep doing some digging.