When the Chicago Bears made Ben Johnson their next head coach, many fans wondered what D’Andre Swift’s role in the offense would be in 2025. The veteran running back fell just short of the 1,000-yard mark in his first year with the team, rushing for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 253 carries in 2024.
However, the 26-year-old Swift was used a lot in Chicago’s passing game (42 receptions for 386 yards), which gave him an edge over rookie Roschon Johnson. The new Bears head coach isn’t unfamiliar with Swift, as they were both in Detroit together, so he knows what type of player he is.
That said, Johnson decided to add more competition to the RB room earlier this year, drafting rookie Kyle Monangai in the seventh round. The rookie running back made waves in preseason/training camp this summer, which is good news for the Bears.
But it might not be good for Swift, whose job could be on shaky ground just days before the regular season opener. On Saturday, Ben Johnson made a surprising statement about the rookie running back, saying that he trusts him and Monangai "tends to do everything," per Underdog NFL.
Bears Rookie RB Kyle Monangai Gets Vote of Confidence from Ben Johnson
It’s bad enough that Swit had to worry Roschon Johnson last season, and now he’ll try to keep the rookie running back at bay.
Monangai ran the ball well in the one preseason game he played in, recording 30 yards on six carries against the Miami Dolphins. Within those six carries, the former Rutgers standout had three first downs and one run that went for 10-plus yards.
Monangai didn’t play in the final two preseason games because of a hamstring injury. That said, the rookie appears to be healthy and could be in line to be the RB2 on Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings with Roschon Johnson banged up.
Monangai has a nice blend of physicality and acceleration/explosiveness. He might not be much of a factor as a pass catcher like Swift, but seeing how Johnson utilized the Lions RBs over the last two years, there’s a role for the rookie.
That being said, Swift must make sure he’s keeping the chains moving on Monday, along with holding onto the football. Last year, he had two fumbles and three drops as a receiver. In his three years in Detroit, he had 14 drops and six fumbles.
It clears that Johnson has an affinity for the rookie, and the fact that he's earned his trust before the first game could impact what happens with Swift.