The Chicago Bears did a very good job this offseason of upgrading the supporting cast around quarterback Justin Fields. General manager Ryan Poles acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore to be his No. 1 target in the passing game, which was arguably the team’s biggest need.
The offensive line, which was also a weakness last season, was upgraded with the free agent signing of Nate Davis and the selection of Darnell Wright in the first round. After being sacked an NFL-high 55 times in 15 games last season, Fields should be much better protected in 2023.
Could there be more help on the way for Fields? According to one AFC scout, the Bears are a team that would make a lot of sense as a landing spot for disgruntled Indianapolis Colts running back, Jonathan Taylor.
“Chicago’s the first team that comes to mind,” an AFC front office executive told FanBuzz. “They run a zone-read combo-style offense, with a young quarterback in place, and a pretty weak depth chart at running back.”
Armed with the most cap space in the NFL, the Bears are certainly in a position to make a splash should the price be right for them. Chicago was also suggested as a landing spot for New York Giants star Saquon Barkley next year by former Giants standout wide receiver Victor Cruz.
The fit for Barkley, just like Taylor, would be a very good one. As pointed out by the AFC scout, the scheme that the Bears run on offense is very running back friendly. We saw firsthand during the 2022 season that it works as the Bears led the NFL in rushing yards despite finishing the season 3-14 and trailing a ton.
Chicago did add D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer in free agency this year to replace David Montgomery, who signed with the Detroit Lions. Those two will join holdover Khalil Herbert and rookie Roschon Johnson in the backfield.
That is certainly not the weakest depth chart in the NFL as the Bears have a good mix of different skill sets for any situation they face. However, Taylor would present a massive upgrade overall as he is a true three-down running back with experience of being the focal point of an offensive attack.
