With the Chicago Bears on the Week 5 bye after a 2-2 start, fans are wondering if the team will make a move to upgrade their running back room ahead of the trade deadline.
This season, the Bears are ranked 24th in rushing offense (102.3), which is not what fans had in mind with a Ben Johnson-led offense. For this offense to get to the next level, Chicago needs a running back like Alvin Kamara, Breece Hall, or Rico Dowdle.
All three guys would be an upgrade over D’Andre Swift, who is averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in his second year with the team. However, Bears fans may not want to get their hopes up about a potential trade for those guys in particular.
Bears Might Want to Turn Their Attention to Other RB Trade Options
Kamara would be the top choice for the Bears, but Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football said on Saturday that he doubts the star running back will be moved. Underhill reported that there are teams interested in some of New Orleans’ veterans, and they’ll be watching to see who becomes available in the coming weeks.
As for Hall, the Jets might not be inclined to move him now with Braelon Allen placed on IR with a knee injury. Finally, Dowdle, who would be considered the easiest to acquire out of the three, might not be available with Chuba Hubbard injured.
Dowdle is on a one-year cheap deal in Carolina and is a solid fit for Johnson’s offense. He can run in between the tackles and be utilized in the passing game. Last year with the Cowboys, he had 1,328 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns.
Therefore, the Bears should turn their attention to running backs such as De’Von Achane of the Miami Dolphins and Tyler Allgeier of the Atlanta Falcons. Achane would be a needle mover and bring an explosive element to the Bears’ running game.
Earlier this week, Achane made a cryptic post on social media, which could be interpreted as him wanting out of Miami. Throughout his three-year career, the former Texas A&M standout has averaged 5.5 YPC, which would be a great addition to the Bears’ running game.
Achane is currently under contract until 2027, when he will become a free agent, meaning the Bears would have him for next season as well.
As for Allgeier, he’s been a solid RB2 behind Bijan Robinson in Atlanta, but he’s scheduled to become a free agent after this season. The Falcons are currently in second place in the NFC South (2-2), so they might not be inclined to move Allgeier, who has 155 yards and two TDs on 43 carries this season.
However, the Falcons have an interesting two-game stretch against the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers within six days of each other following the Week 5 bye. If the Falcons were to lose both games and drop to 2-4, one does wonder if Allgeier becomes available at the right price.
Allgeier wouldn’t be a direct replacement for Swift, but he would be that in-between-the-tackles runner that he used to have in Detroit with David Montgomery. With the NFL trade deadline only weeks away, all eyes will be on the Bears, and if they choose to fix their running game.