Can Roschon Johnson Spark Bears' Backfield? (NFL)
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Can Roschon Johnson Spark Bears' Backfield?

Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Bears plan to feature sophomore running back Roschon Johnson in their offense moving forward, according to multiple reports. Head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron are attempting to jumpstart their struggling run game. Johnson can seize this opportunity and become the full-time starter.

The Bears signed running back D'Andre Swift to a lucrative three-year contract worth $24 million as soon as free agency opened despite already having Johnson and Khalil Herbert on their roster. General manager Ryan Poles aggressively pursued Swift, making him the eighth-highest-paid back in the league. That decision has backfired terribly. Swift has gained 68 rushing yards via 37 carries through three contests. His single-game high was 30 yards on 10 rushing attempts in Week 1. Swift is averaging an ineffective 1.8 yards per carry, the worst result among all qualifying backs with 20 or more carries this season. 

In a Week 3 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts, the former Georgia Bulldog managed 20 yards via 13 carries against the league's worst-ranked run defense. Johnson possesses the potential to be more productive.

The decision to sign Swift was questionable. The dual-threat back was coming off a career-best campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles where he rushed for 1,049 yards behind a dominant offensive line. The Bears' offensive line pales in comparison and Swift hasn't been as useful. The Bears rank 17th in run-block win rate (RBWR) and 30th in pass-block win rate (PBWR), according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Swift is pressing. His rushing efficiency is a league-high 9.01 yards, according to Next Gen Stats, meaning he's traveling more total distance than any other running back in the league per rushing yards gained. Essentially, he's getting east-west searching for yards that aren't there as opposed to getting north-south. Swift also has the worst Rushing Yards Over Expected (RYOE) mark in the league at -83. On average, Swift is gaining 2.38 yards less per carry than the tracking data indicates he should be getting.

No wonder the Bears are pondering a change. They’re currently averaging 72.7 rushing yards per contest, the second-worst mark in the entire league. If you remove their two defensive scores from the equation, they’re averaging a second-worst 12.3 points per game.

Johnson deserves an opportunity to see if he can create more offense. The No. 115 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft rushed for 352 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie last season while sharing the backfield with Herbert and D'Onta Foreman. The ex-Texas Longhorn averaged 4.3 yards per carry.

There have been indications already this season that Johnson will positively alter Eberflus' run-game fortunes. Among Chicago's three primary running backs, it's Johnson who's averaging a position-high 3.8 yards per carry. Expanding the sample size could help him solidify himself as the go-to solution.

Swift has literally been the least efficient running back in the entire league. Chicago's struggling offensive line isn't helping. It's worth offering Johnson an opportunity to improve what's currently a nonexistent rushing attack.



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