Chicago Bears: Can Herbert Win The Starting Running Back Job?

Many people expected Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert to be the starter once David Montgomery left. It won’t be easy, however, as he faces a tough battle for the job.

The Chicago Bears had the best rushing attack in the NFL last season. They had 3,014 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry.

The Bears hope to have similar success in the running game in 2023. They just want to do it a little differently. Last season, they were led by quarterback Justin Fields, who had 1,143 rushing yards. That was the second-highest total by a quarterback in a season.

Fields led the team by 342 yards over David Montgomery. Now, Montgomery is doing his running with the Detroit Lions. Still, the Bears do not want Fields to lead the way.

Fields rushed 160 times last season. That means he took a lot of hits. Add in the times he got hit when he dropped back to pass and he took a beating. The coaches don’t want a repeat of that. They feel that Fields is the face of the offense and want to keep him as healthy as possible.

Montgomery’s backup last season was Khalil Herbert. He finished the season with 731 yards but he missed four games. Additionally, he averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

Herbert was the big-play back. He has good speed and is elusive. He can avoid would-be tacklers and when he gets into the open space he can outrun them.

Montgomery’s exit creates a void

Now, with Montgomery gone, there is a void to fill. With Herbert’s ability to make big plays many people expect him to replace him.

Something happened in the offseason, however. General manager Ryan Poles, with the idea of protecting Fields’ health, decided to add to the running back room. He signed veteran D’Onta Foreman.

Foreman originally backed up Christian McCaffrey but after the Carolina Panthers traded him, Foreman was handed the keys.

Foreman did well, rushing for 914 yards. He became a free agent and decided to use his abilities in Chicago.

Additionally, Poles selected Texas running back in the fourth round of this year’s draft. He was another running back who spent his time as a backup. He backed up All-World superstar Bijan Robinson.

Suddenly Herbert finds himself in a real battle for the starting running back job. Before free agency, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d be the starter. Now, as training camp is close to starting, he finds himself fighting for the job.

Many still believe Herbert will start and thrive

Despite the challenges facing him, there are still many who feel Herbert will start. Not only that, they feel he could thrive this season. NFL analyst and nine-year NFL veteran, Clay Harbor, feels exactly that way.

DONT sleep on Khalil Herbert!

He led the ENTIRE NFL in in average yards over expected. BIG year for Herbert. #DaBears #Bears #ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/GEeOCZLxJc

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) July 15, 2023

Harbor argues that leading the league last season in yards over expected will enable him to have a big year this season.

There are some questions, however. Herbert is not much of a pass-blocker. As mentioned before, the Chicago Bears want to make sure that Fields stays healthy. Having as many good blockers is essential, whether that means the offensive line, the tight ends, the wide receivers, and yes, the running backs pitching in.

Foreman and Johnson are better blockers so they have an edge there.

Furthermore, Herbert struggles to contribute in the passing game. While he has succeeded in the running game, he only has 23 career catches for 153 yards.

Herbert needs to improve in those two areas if he wants to gain the majority of snaps. While Foreman is just a one-year signee, he can make an impact with his running and blocking.

On the other hand, the team might eye Johnson as the eventual starter. He can succeed in all three phases. In addition to his running, he can pass block effectively as well as catch from the backfield. In college, he had 56 catches for 420 yards. Not bad for a career backup.

Herbert has a battle on his hands. It seems that the Chicago Bears are going with a running back by committee. However, If Herbert shows improvement he could take a bulk of the snaps. If he doesn’t, one of the other two will.