The vibe around Halas Hall has shifted. It's not just the crisp Lake Michigan air or the fact that Caleb Williams is finally looking like the "chosen one" everyone promised he’d be. Honestly, if you look at the bears running backs 2025 room right now, you’re seeing the most functional backfield this city has hosted in a decade.
For years, Chicago relied on a "bell cow" mentality. Think Matt Forte. Think David Montgomery. But the 2025 season flipped the script.
The Swift Evolution (And Why It Worked)
When D'Andre Swift signed that three-year, $24 million deal back in 2024, half the city groaned. "Too expensive," they said. "Injury prone," they shouted into the void of sports talk radio. But here we are in early 2026, looking back at a 2025 campaign where Swift was basically the engine of a top-10 offense.
He didn't just run the ball. He became a mismatch nightmare for defensive coordinators who were already terrified of Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. Swift finished the 2025 regular season with 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. But the stat that actually matters? His 4.9 yards per carry. He wasn't just getting what was blocked; he was making people miss in space like he was back at Georgia.
New head coach Ben Johnson—the guy who helped Swift thrive in Detroit—brought that creative "lions-esque" flair to Chicago. He stopped trying to run Swift into the backs of his offensive linemen on 3rd-and-short. Instead, he used him as a chess piece.
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The Rookie Who Stole the Show
If Swift was the engine, Kyle Monangai was the surprise turbocharger. Nobody, and I mean nobody, expects a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers to put up nearly 800 rushing yards.
Usually, seventh-rounders are just fighting to make the practice squad or cover kicks on special teams. Monangai did the dirty work. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle famously described him as "a guy who runs angry," and you could see it every time he hit the hole. He finished the 2025 season with 169 carries for 783 yards and five scores.
He didn't have Swift's elite speed. He didn't have the draft pedigree. But he had this weird, gravitational-pull style of running where he’d just bounce off linebackers. It turned the bears running backs 2025 group into a legit one-two punch that kept Caleb Williams out of 3rd-and-long situations.
What Happened to the Old Guard?
Remember Khalil Herbert?
It's sorta wild how fast the NFL moves. Herbert was the darling of the "yards after contact" crowd for a minute there. But by the middle of the 2024 season, the writing was on the wall. He was traded to the Bengals and eventually ended up signing a one-year deal with the Colts in March 2025.
Then there’s Roschon Johnson.
The 2025 season was supposed to be his breakout. He’s 227 pounds of pure muscle, a former quarterback, and arguably the best pass-protecting back on the roster. But football is a cruel game. Roschon dealt with a nagging thumb injury that eventually landed him on Injured Reserve in late November. He only managed a handful of carries all year. It’s frustrating because when he’s healthy, he’s exactly the kind of "bruiser" this team needs to close out games in the fourth quarter.
- D'Andre Swift: The lightning. High-priced but worth every penny in the Ben Johnson system.
- Kyle Monangai: The find of the decade. A Rutgers kid who runs like he’s trying to break through a brick wall.
- Roschon Johnson: The "what if." Still has high upside but needs to stay on the grass.
- Travis Homer: The special teams ace. He’s the guy you don't notice until he makes a tackle on a punt at the 2-yard line.
Ben Johnson’s Influence on the Run Game
We have to talk about the scheme. You can't analyze the bears running backs 2025 success without acknowledging that Ben Johnson is a bit of a wizard.
The Bears' offense in 2025 didn't just "run the ball." They used heavy 12-personnel sets (two tight ends) with Cole Kmet and the rookie sensation Colston Loveland. This forced defenses to stay in base personnel. When you have D'Andre Swift against a 250-pound linebacker in open space? That’s a win for Chicago every single time.
Swift's ability to catch the ball—34 receptions for nearly 300 yards in 2025—kept the chains moving. It made the play-action game devastating. Defenders had to freeze for a split second to see if Swift had the ball, and by the time they realized he didn't, Luther Burden III or Rome Odunze was already behind them.
Is the Backfield Set for 2026?
Honestly, probably.
With Monangai proving he’s a legitimate NFL starter and Swift under contract through 2026, the Bears don't need to hunt for a superstar in the upcoming draft. They have the luxury of depth. If Roschon Johnson comes back healthy, you’re looking at a three-headed monster that can handle any weather conditions Soldier Field throws at them.
The real question is whether they keep a guy like Travis Homer or look for another undrafted gem like Ian Wheeler, who showed flashes before his knee injury.
The Takeaway for Fans
If you’re looking at the bears running backs 2025 situation, the biggest takeaway isn't just the stats. It's the efficiency. The Bears stopped being a team that "runs to run" and became a team that runs to win. They aren't asking Swift to carry the ball 25 times a game. They’re asking him to be explosive 15 times, and letting a guy like Monangai handle the "meat and potatoes" carries.
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This balance is why Chicago is hosting playoff games again. It's why Caleb Williams isn't being sacked five times a game. A good run game is a young quarterback's best friend, and for the first time in a long time, the Bears actually have one.
Your Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the 2026 off-season workout reports for Roschon Johnson's recovery. If he's back to 100%, this backfield goes from "good" to "scary" very quickly. Also, watch the waiver wire for how the Bears fill out the bottom of the depth chart—they’ve shown they have a "type" for physical, high-character runners like Monangai.