The Chicago Bears' running game got off to a slow start last season. Head coach Ben Johnson preached patience with that unit, and once the new-look offensive line meshed, they finally got off to the races.
They ultimately finished the campaign with 2,456 rushing yards, the third-most in the league. They were also third in yards per carry (4.9) and rushing first downs (142). Notably, that was thanks to their strong tandem of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
That's why it's not much of a surprise to read Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski point out that Monangai is now the Bears' best-kept secret. That's great news for the offense, but not so much for D'Andre Swift.
Kyle Monangai is a legitimate threat to D'Andre Swift
"Monangai ranked third among all rookies last season with 783 rushing yards. The seventh-rounder's 4.6 yards per carry ranked second among all first-year backs with at least 150 carries. He's a natural runner, particularly between the tackles. The Rutgers product has some wiggle and brings a lot of physicality," Sobleski wrote.
Swift is about to enter the final year of his contract. As such, he's a prime trade candidate in Chicago. Even if they don't move him, Coach Johnson would be wise to slowly but steadily give Monangai a bigger piece of the pie. If he can handle it, he might finish the season as the team's primary ball-carrier.
The former Detroit Lions back did a great job last season. He topped 1,087 rushing yards and had 9 touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Nevertheless, Monangai's aggressive and violent running style is a major threat to strip him of goal-line carries and short-yardage situations.
Also, Monangai showed some burst and an impressive ability to turn the corner once he got an inch of separation. With Johnson's two-tight end sets, he can find gaps at all levels of the defense and be much more explosive in year two.
The Bears thrived by taking pressure off Caleb Williams' shoulders. The talented quarterback still made every throw in the book when it mattered the most, but with some accuracy issues, their best chance to win and take care of the football is to establish the run.
Monangai outplayed his draft stock in his first year, and with that bargain contract and the Bears potentially looking to get anything they can from Swift before he walks away in free agency, he could be in for a breakout campaign.
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