The Chicago Bears‘ bold and aggressive 2024 offseason proved to be a mixed bag, so far.
Keenan Allen, by all accounts, had a solid season, catching seven touchdowns from quarterback Caleb Williams, D’Andre Swift’s six rushing touchdowns came two shy of setting a new career-high while rushing for 959 yards.
Poles’ and the Bears’ draft picks, though, have been a bit of a mixed bag.
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As impactful as additions like Allen and Swift proved to be, Roschan Johnson … was not.
Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic underscores what went wrong for Johnson in his second season with the Bears, since being chosen in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and why he may already be a bust.
“Roschon Johnson didn’t necessarily take a “second-year leap as a running back,” Fishbain writes for The Athletic. “He wasn’t utilized at all in the first two games before getting 25 carries over the next three. He did score six touchdowns as the goal-line back. He also missed multiple games with a concussion.Two of Williams’ first-down throws on fourth down went to Johnson, who had 10 catches on third down — four moved the sticks.
“Johnson should stick around the NFL for a while because of his work on special teams and abilities as a pass protector, but he didn’t show he could be a lead runner this season.”
The Bears are going to need to find more balance in 2025, especially to alleviate some of the pressure on Williams, as the quarterback enters his second season.
While Johnson rushed for six touchdowns in 2024, he managed only 150 rushing yards while averaging a meager 2.7 yards per carry.
Whether it is Johnson taking major strides as a complement to Swift or moving him over to special teams, it’s evident that whether Swift is healthy, or not, the Bears are going to need a more productive and reliable second option at running back.
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