The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as their new head coach this offseason, and it instantly put a spotlight on Chicago’s ground game. Johnson came over after serving as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, and his rushing attack ranked fifth in yards (6,978) over the past three seasons.
Many assumed he would build a similar combination to the Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery duo he had in Detroit, but Chicago is marching into Monday’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings with the same tandem they had one year ago with D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson.
Those plans have already been lit on fire as Roschon Johnson missed practice on Thursday and Friday with a foot injury. With ESPN’s Courtney Cronin confirming that Johnson missed practice, it opens the door for Bears rookie Kyle Monangai, who may have a bigger than expected role in the opener.
Bears Rookie Kyle Monangai Has Big Opportunity vs. Vikings in Week 1
Monangai was taken in the seventh round of April’s draft, and it brought up the antennas of Bears fans looking for how Ben Johnson would improve his running game. After ranking 25th in rushing yards (1,734) and tied for 27th in yards per carry (4.0) last season, the Rutgers product figured to be part of the solution, logging 256 carries for 1,279 yards and 5.0 yards per carry last season with the Scarlet Knights.
Another area where Monangai excelled was yards after contact. His 3.37 yards per average was tied for 95th among qualifiers last season, according to Pro Football Focus last season, but those numbers were greater than what Swift (2.46) and Roschon Johnson (2.07) put up in Chicago.
An elevation to the RB2 role is a great opportunity for the rookie, but it also comes with a major responsibility. Roschon Johnson has been one of the Bears' most trusted pass blockers in the backfield over his first two seasons. While his pass-blocking grade dipped from 64.8 in his rookie season to 36.5 last season, he still played in the second-highest amount of pass-blocking snaps on the team (60). The only player that had more was Swift, who was a liability with a 28.3 grade and five pressures allowed on 72 pass-blocking snaps.
Monangai was the primary pass protection at Rutgers, allowing nine pressures and two sacks for a 51.2 grade last season. But he’ll likely need to step up with the probability of Roschon Johnson missing this game going up. Unless Roschon Johnson has a recovery, the Bears will need Monangai to step up, giving him an excellent opportunity in his debut.