The Chicago Bears have made several significant personnel moves in recent years, with mixed results. While some acquisitions, like Montez Sweat and T.J. Edwards, have been successes for general manager Ryan Poles, others, such as wide receiver Chase Claypool, have not panned out as hoped.
Despite the NFL draft still being more than a week away, the Bears have been active in free agency.
One notable signing in the past month is running back D’Andre Swift, who inked a three-year deal worth $24 million. Swift, coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Philadelphia Eagles, represents a substantial investment in a position that many teams have devalued in recent years.
Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report labeled this signing as one of the “worst free-agent signings” of the offseason so far.
Despite already having Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson on the roster, with Johnson being a Day 3 draft pick last spring, there seemed to be no urgent need for another running back in Chicago.
While Swift had a productive 2023 season, reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, credit is given to the dominant Eagles offensive line for creating opportunities for him.
With the anticipated arrival of Caleb Williams at quarterback, Swift may face fewer defenders in the box, giving him more room to run. However, it remains uncertain whether Swift would significantly outperform Herbert or Johnson if given a similar workload.
