The Bears’ decision to sign a lead running back this offseason didn’t necessarily surprise Khalil Herbert. In fact, it motivates him.
“Competition is always the best thing,” Herbert told the Sun-Times after Tuesday's practice at Halas Hall. “I feel like it brings everybody’s level of play up. Especially the guys on our offense. You want to make plays You want to be one of those guys. it definitely does add some fire to it.”
He already has plenty of motivation — Herbert’s wife welcomed a baby in January and he’s entering the last year of his rookie contract.
Herbert led all NFL running backs in yards per carry in 2022, and watched as the Bears added D’Onta Foreman the next offseason. He led all Bears running backs in rushing last year, only for the team to sign D’Andre Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract in March.
“I figured,” Herbert said Tuesday. “Especially, last year, they brought into D’Onta. You kinda know how the game goes.”
Swift admits he has “no idea” how new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will divide carries. The play-caller's history with the Seahawks, though, lays a specific template.
In 2023, Kenneth Walker III took 65% of both the carries and rushing yards by a Seahawks running back. Zach Charbonnet handled 32% of the carries and 33% of the yards, while DeeJay Dallas did the rest.
In 2022, Walker handled 65% of the carries and accounted for 63% of the rushing yards. Rashaad Penny took 16% of the carries for 21% of the rushing yards in an injury shortened season, while Dallas had 10% of the carries for 11% of the yards.
If Swift gets 65% or so of the carries, that leaves Herbert to compete with second-year running back Roschon Johnson for playing time. Herbert is the Bears’ best home run option — he broke two long runs Monday — and Johnson the better pass-blocker.
Herbert missed five games last season with an ankle injury and four the year before because of a hip problem. Both sapped his explosiveness. He spent the offseason in Fort Lauderdale working on just that.
“Just trying to get the top speed back,” he said.
Bears linemen are counting the days until Friday, the first time they’re allowed to wear pads in practice.
”So we can work our full range of things,” right tackle Darnell Wright said. “(We’re) a little bit limited right now ... Still can get work done right now, but definitely some more things we can put in our game.”
Without pads, neither side has much to grab onto when grappling.
“We're not going to put our helmets in nobody's chest right now, but when we get the pads on we've got to give them game-like reps,” nose tackle Andrew Billings said. “We've got to do that throughout the whole preseason. Then we'll tone it done during the regular season.”
• Tight end Marcedes Lewis and wide receiver Keenan Allen each received a veteran day off. Lewis, 40, and Allen, 32, are the Bears’ two oldest non-special teams players.
• Linebacker Noah Sewell and receiver Nsimba Webster remained out.
• The Bears continued rotating their starting centers. Ryan Bates played with the starting group during the first and third practices, with Coleman Shelton starting on the second and fourth. Eberflus praised Bates’ quickness this week.
“We've got one quick guy and one really strong guy,” said Billings, who’s lined up against both. “That competition is going to come down to consistency. Just do what they do best, and use that to be consistent.”.
