The Chicago Bears may have more reason to extend D'Andre Swift than most fans realize. The 27 year old running back was a key component to the offense that was top three in rushing in 2025. Swift enters 2026 on a contract year, but there's good reason the Bears should be looking to sign him to a contract extension now.
The addition of Kyle Monangai at first seems a threat to the starting back job, but in practice, the pair complimented one another. Swift becomes more dangerous when he isn't absorbing every hard carry between the tackles, Monangai stepping in as the fresh power on third down to hammer against a tired defense is a winning formula, and it's one that head coach Ben Johnson is quite familiar with.
Ben Johnson already showed the Bears the blueprint
Over the last couple years the Detroit Lions have enjoyed the one-two punch of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. This arrangement flourished under Johnson while he was the offensive coordinator there. Johnson clearly understands the importance of having a resilient run game, and accomplishing that through this method is tried and true.
Signing Swift to an extension now would signal stability in the offense, and in the locker room. When the front office shows confidence in its players, the player is usually more incentivized to give everything they have. An extension would hold the foundations of the offense tighter together and promote a cohesive team.
Swift is only 27 years old. The running back market is no longer exploding financially, but that doesn't mean the Bears wouldn't be making a good deal by signing a long-term deal with Swift. A reasonable extension would keep continuity around Caleb Williams, and when the entire rebuild depends on that stability, the money is hardly an issue.
The Bears already know Ben Johnson’s offense works best with two backs who bring different things to the table. Swift does not have to be the entire running game to still be an important part of it. If Kyle Monangai can handle some of the physical workload, Chicago could finally have the balance Johnson built his success in Detroit upon.
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