The Chicago Bears were NFC North champions last season, but they had to make changes to get there. A new regime led by head coach Ben Johnson played a key role in the Bears’ first division title since 2018, but there were a lot of players who left the Bears hoping to find greener pastures outside of Chicago.
One of those players was a former fan favorite, Khalil Herbert. A sixth-round pick by the Bears in the 2021 draft, Herbert looked like a steal when he averaged 4.9 yards per carry over his first three seasons, including a career-high 5.7 yards per attempt during the 2022 season. But after leaving Chicago, Herbert hasn’t found the same success and continues to head in the wrong direction as the 2026 season approaches.
Khalil Herbert’s Downward Spiral Continues After Leaving Bears
Herbert’s strong start in Chicago made fans believe he was on his way to a breakout, totalling 1,775 yards and eight touchdowns on 364 attempts. His 2022 season also played a role, as he ran for a career-high 731 yards and four touchdowns while posting a 47.3 percent success rate, according to Pro Football Reference. But he also showed explosiveness, posting 22 runs of 10 yards or more and seven breakaway runs, defined as designed runs of 15 yards or more, according to Pro Football Focus.
But things changed when Herbert arrived for the 2024 season. In addition to the Bears signing D’Andre Swift in free agency, Herbert’s playing time and effectiveness decreased, running just eight times for 16 yards and a career-low 1.75 yards after contact. The performance led to a trade to the Cincinnati Bengals, but after fumbling his first touch, Herbert couldn’t see the field, running 28 times for 114 scoreless yards and 1.86 yards after contact to close the season.
This was the beginning of a rough trend for Herbert as he signed with the Indianapolis Colts, but failed to make the team out of training camp. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad and was eventually signed to the New York Jets’ active roster, but he wasn’t able to take advantage of that opportunity, carrying the ball 16 times for 52 yards and 2.31 yards per carry in seven games. Even worse, Herbert’s big-play ability has dried up with just two runs over 10 yards and no breakaway runs over the past two seasons.
These numbers have left Herbert still searching for a new job after signing in the opening days of free agency one year ago, and an uncertain future, even though he’ll turn 28 next month. To add insult to injury, the pick the Bears acquired by trading Herbert to the Bengals became Kyle Monangai, who paired with Swift to fuel Chicago’s third-ranked rushing attack (144.5 ypg) last season.
Running backs are one of the most unpredictable positions in the NFL, as a pop-up season can come out of nowhere. But as Herbert moves closer to his 30s, he continues to trend in the wrong direction, and his journey outside Chicago could get worse in the coming months.