Bears Trade Proposition Supplants Disappointing RB For Ex 1,000 Yard Rusher
The Chicago Bears snuck past the Las Vegas Raiders in a mistake-filled thriller – for both teams – 25-24, on Sunday afternoon.
Whilst the Bears were certainly not perfect on the defensive side – despite two interceptions from former two-time All-Pro safety, Kevin Byard – the area that really got fans going was the run game.
Despite a game-sealing touchdown, D’Andre Swift had yet another disappointing game against Las Vegas, managing just 2.7 yards per carry on the day, and a similarly poor 3.3 YPC on the season.
And whilst there were high hopes for him over the past couple of seasons, former fourth round pick, Roschon Johnson has effectively been frozen out of the team, having been given no carries over the past two weeks since returning from a foot injury.
Rookie seventh round pick, Kyle Monangai, had a better day than Swift in week 4, but on the season has largely been playing with similar mediocre levels of efficiency.
It seems to be, more than anything, that head coach, Ben Johnson, is looking for his lead back to truly move the offense forward. Now, he is almost certainly not going to find him on the trade block ahead of November’s deadline, but there is a chance that he can find a new lead back – or at least one that gives a bona fide competitive push to Swift and Monangai.
So in this trade proposal, the Bears make a trade for Carolina Panthers backup running back, Rico Dowdle.
Dowdle came over from the Dallas Cowboys this past offseason, where he managed 1,079 yards rushing in his first season as the RB1. However, the Cowboys were not keen on retaining him, and instead the Panthers signed him to a modest one year, $2.75 million deal, with incentives that could get him up past the $6 million figure in 2025.
But the ex-Cowboy is very much RB2 in Carolina, behind Chuba Hubbard – who was signed to a four year extension last November.
In this proposal, the Dowdle has the opportunity to see not only get more attempts rushing, and eventually take over as the starter, but to operate in an offense filled with far more high-quality skill weapons, operated by offensive guru, Ben Johnson.
The South Carolina alum has not managed to eclipse 10 carries this season, and his efficiency metrics are way down from last season, going from 4.6 yards per carry in 2024, to 3.0 over the past four games.
Yet, how much of that is down to the crumbling offense, rather than Dowdle’s change in ability is certainly worth noting – especially since he is still just 27 years of age.
Behind the Bears’ interior offensive line that, at least on paper, has talent – and with one of the most respected up-and-coming offensive minds in the business in Ben Johnson, Dowdle could return to being a 1,000 yard + rusher, and finally give quarterback, Caleb Williams, his outlet in the ground game that the team have so desperately needed.
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