It took them a while, but the Chicago Bears' running game eventually got going last season. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined to lead the team to a 2,456 rushing-yard season, the third-best mark in the league.
The running game is paramount to Ben Johnson's offense. He had another elite one-two punch in Detroit, using David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs as complementary pieces, also opening up the field for the passing game.
As such, and given that Swift is entering the final year of his contract, it makes sense that ESPN analyst Ben Solak thinks they could make a run at Jonathan Taylor. He's still waiting for a new deal, and the Indianapolis Colts may struggle early in the campaign. That said, the Bears should have other priorities.
The Bears shouldn't be fixated on Jonathan Taylor
“If the Colts come out of the gates slow and consider an organizational change midseason, then Taylor surely would draw trade interest,” Solak wrote. “...The Bears make perfect sense.”
Taylor is undeniably one of the best running backs in the league. He may even be overlooked and underrated, and it feels like everyone has just gotten used to watching him dominate. That might be a small-market curse.
However, as great a player as he is, the Colts will most definitely demand a steep return for his services, and that's something the Bears can't afford. They must save their assets for a potential Maxx Crosby bidding war and focus on fixing the defensive line first.
Even with running back coach Eric Bieniemy no longer in the building, the Bears' running game should be just fine in 2026. Taylor would make it better, but they don't need him, especially if Kyle Monangai takes a leap in year two.
The Bears are more than set on offense, but the defense remains a major question mark for this season. If general manager Ryan Poles is going to make an in-season move, it better be to help with those issues.
There should be more than enough potential trade targets to go after in 2026. Crosby should be at the top of the Bears' wishlist, and with so many teams also potentially entering the sweepstakes, they will have to gather as many assets as they can to ensure he takes his talents to the Windy City.
If anything, the Bears should be looking to offload some players, like Cole Kmet, to replenish their war chest with more picks before even considering adding another skill player. Taylor is great, and he'd be an upgrade over Swift and Monangai, but they just don't need him right now, or at least not enough to make him their sole priority.
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