Actually, it's sort of two decisions that make up one larger decision.
That decision? The Bears didn't bolster the running game, either through the draft or free agency.
That's a problem since head coach Ben Johnson's offense is predicated on running the ball and setting up play action.
This isn't to say that starting running back D'Andre Swift is doing a poor job or should be replaced -- but the running back room doesn't have the 1-2 punch that Johnson had in Detroit with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Nor has the reworked offensive line shown consistency in getting the ground game off the ground.
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In fairness to Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles, the team did work hard in the offseason to overhaul the offensive line, so for the purposes of this piece, we'll focus on the decision not to be stronger at running back.
The Bears are 24th in the league when it comes to running-game rank, so that is less than ideal.
Swift himself is a talented veteran who has had success in the past, so to this author, the bigger issue is depth. To be clear, the Bears DID draft one running back in 2025 -- Kyle Monangai. He's been quiet with just 3.6 yards per carry so far. Meanwhile, third-year player Roschon Johnson has yet to get a touch, despite showing flashes of success in the past. The Bears' fourth running back, Travis Homer, is injured.
The Bears' top draft pick in 2025 was tight end Colston Loveland. This made sense on one level -- Johnson's offense often makes use of two-tight-end sets, and Loveland figured to complement veteran star tight end Cole Kmet. But with Monangai being a seventh-round pick and the Bears not pursuing any free agent running backs, the option seems to be Swift -- and more Swift.
Given Swift's past production, the Bears could eventually get the run game untracked. And the offense has still managed to move the ball in three of the four games it's played. A late-game defensive collapse cost the Bears the season opener against Minnesota, and everything on both sides of the ball went wrong against Detroit in Week 2. The Bears still found a way to win Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders, even with a lackluster running game. Defensive takeaways and growth from quarterback Caleb Williams and the passing game were key.
There's still time to get Johnson going, and the Bears could look to the free agent or trade markets. It's also not a given that a running back drafted high in the 2025 draft would be successful just four games into his NFL career. One can also make the argument that a rebuilding Bears team had so many holes to fill, and with the playoffs probably a year away, there were other priorities to address. Still, it can be a bit head-scratching that the Bears didn't draft an RB until round 7 -- and nor did they trade to get more picks.
Similarly, it's also a bit curious why the team didn't address that need via free agency or trade, especially given the offense's reliance on being able to run the ball effectively.
Perhaps Johnson and Poles don't regret the decision -- perhaps the running game, as currently constructed, will gel, and/or perhaps the passing game will drive the offense. But from the outside looking in, it sure seems like the front office should regret this particular choice.