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Bears Trade Proposition Supplants Disappointing RB For Ex 1,000 Yard Rusher

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Bears Make Feelings Clear on D'Andre Swift Amid Run Struggles

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.

Bears Could Get Huge Boost to Pass Rush for ‘MNF’ vs. Commanders
Bears defensive end Austin Booker could return in Week 6. The Chicago Bears could receive a significant boost to their pass rush when they take on the Washington Commanders for Monday Night Football in Week 6. The Bears are now eligible to designate second-year defensive end Austin Booker for return from the injured reserve list after he missed the first four games of the season. Booker had shone in the preseason and seemed the likely choice to serve as the Bears‘ top rotational pass rusher behind veterans Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo coming into the 2025 season, but he suffered a knee injury in August that forced the team to place him on the short-term injured reserve list after the 53-man roster cutdown. Promoted Content Brain Specialist: Honey, The Plaque Destroyer (Watch This)   Brain Journal Researcher: Honey Method, Alzheimer's Natural Predator (See How)   Brain Journal Dementia Has Been Linked To A Common Habit. Do You Do It?   Brain Defender Dementia & Memory Loss Have Been Linked To This Habit. You Do It?   Brain Journal While the Bears have not laid out an expected return timeline for Booker, they will have the option of designating him for return to practice in Week 6 if they feel he has made enough progress in his injury recovery. Once the Bears designate him for return, they will have 21 days to activate him to the roster or else must leave him on IR for the year. The Bears could provide clues to Booker’s status when they hold their first practice of the week on Wednesday and issue their first injury report for Sunday’s prime-time date with the Commanders. They would need to activate Booker by Saturday afternoon at the latest for him to have a chance of suiting up for them on Monday Night Football. The Bears (2-2) will take on the Commanders (3-2) at 8:15 p.m. ET next Monday.