The Chicago Bears had one of their best seasons in recent memory in 2025, but preparations are already underway to take the next step in 2026. With a division title already in hand, Ben Johnson and his team have bigger goals in mind next season, which necessitate some creative roster shuffling.
Monday’s news cycle indicated that other teams are thinking the same way. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Miami Dolphins are intending to cut edge rusher Bradley Chubb ahead of the new league year on March 11. A few hours later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Dolphins are also planning to cut wide receiver Tyreek Hill, setting in motion a full-blown rebuild on South Beach.
The moves may as well have been the kickoff to cutting season, where teams try to get under the salary cap and create salary space to improve their team in free agency. While the Bears have some obvious candidates, one player who may be holding his breath is running back D’Andre Swift.
D’Andre Swift’s Bears Future Uncertain with Free Agency Approaching
Swift has been seemingly playing for his job in Chicago since Johnson took the head coaching position in January of 2025. Signed to a three-year, $24 million contract in the spring of 2024, Swift had a disappointing first season with the Bears, running for 959 yards and six touchdowns. But he rebounded last fall with 1,087 yards and nine rushing touchdowns while adding 34 catches for 299 yards and a receiving touchdown.
It would seem crazy to let Swift go after a 1,000-yard season. It seems even crazier considering he’s still in his prime after turning 27 in January and carries a reasonable $8.8 million cap hit for 2026, per Over The Cap. But that didn’t prevent Swift from addressing his uncertain future with Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I have no idea, but hopefully I did enough for them to want me back because I know I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Swift said. “I hope it plays itself out that way. I love the city, I love the coaching staff and the men that I work with. That’s out of my control, but if I had it my way, I’d be back. I don’t want to play nowhere else.”
Swift’s comments are interesting in their own right. However, the fact that he makes it sound as though he’s received no guarantees that he’ll be back in Chicago next season is a new twist. It becomes even more interesting, given the Bears have a lot more options to replace him than they did one year ago.
Rookie Kyle Monangai would be the next man up on the depth chart, and he’s coming off a strong rookie season. While he ran for 783 yards and five touchdowns coming out of Rutgers, he may be better suited as a complementary option after running out of gas toward the end of the year, with 4.0 yards per carry over his final five regular-season games and just 3.0 yards per carry on 21 attempts during the Bears’ playoff run.
Although that sounds like a good thing for Swift’s future, he could have to hold his breath with a talented free agent running back class. Breece Hall has been a rumored Bears target since last season’s trade deadline, and new offensive coordinator Press Taylor has a previous working relationship with Travis Etienne dating back to his time as offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, and Kenneth Walker III could be other targets of interest to the Bears, or they could go for the home run by trading up for Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love in the first round of April’s draft.
With the ability to run the ball (2,882 yards, 36 touchdowns) and make plays in the passing game (63 catches, 594 yards, 6 TD) during his three seasons with the Fighting Irish, Love could be a younger, cheaper alternative to Swift and the options on the open market. But even then, Swift may be more appealing thanks to his experience in Johnson’s system.
Overall, Swift may wind up safe as one of the key pieces to Chicago’s offense. But the alternatives and his recent quotes may make him sweat a little more than he should after Monday’s news.