The Chicago Bears begin another week of training camp, inching closer to the beginning of the preseason. As the coaches continue to analyze the roster, some players are starting to make an impression. One of them is running back Kyle Monangai.
The life of a rookie can be chaotic and worrisome. He has to learn a new system and adjust to the speed of the NFL. It becomes even more nerve racking when the rookie is a seventh round pick. He is buried deep down and has to work hard just to be seen.
Rookie Monangai making a big impression on the Chicago Bears coaching staff
That is exactly what rookie Kyle Monangai has been doing so far in camp. The 5-foot-8, 211 pound running back. He has been making a name for himself since mandatory mini camp. His contact balance, quickness, and elusiveness have opened a lot of eyes.
The most impressive pair of eyes Monangai opened belong to new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson. Johnson has been talking highly of Monangai a couple of times already. He said that Monangai “really stepped up” during mini camp. Recently in training camp Johnson had high praise for the kid.
I think he’s a guy we’re gonna be able to trust this fall. He wants to do everything exactly like you coach it, and there’s a lot of merit to that. He’s going to be one of those glue guys that you can count on to do it the right way.
The key part of the above quote is the first sentence. Johnson said he will be able to trust Monangai this fall. That sounds an awful lot like he has an inside track on making the team. That should give Monangai a big boost in confidence. It could be that a roster spot is his to lose.
Monangai has been able to learn things quickly and adjust to whatever is needed. In a running backs room that seems a little thin. D’Andre Swift has to make people forget the downs he had last season. Roschon Johnson has to prove he can go a few weeks without having a concussion.
Monangai can be a huge addition to the unit. If he and Johnson can combine to get the tough yards and Swift can be the outside speed rusher the Chicago Bears rushing attack can surprise many and be very effective.
.@kylemonangai comin’ thru 😤 pic.twitter.com/WXdMzs97MO
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 4, 2025
Monangai made history while at Rutgers
In 2024, Monangai made history at Rutgers. He was the first offensive player in the program’s history to be a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection. He rushed for 1,279 yards on 256 carries (about five yards per carry) and 14 total touchdowns. His 123.1 all purpose yards per game ranked second in the Big Ten.
In his career at Rutgers Monangai rushed for 3,221 yards. That was second only to the legendary Ray Rice. However, the most remarkable stat is that he had zero fumbles in 669 total carries in his college career. In fact, he has not fumbled the ball in six years.
That is critical for the Chicago Bears. There were a few costly fumbles last season. The fact that Johnson has already been effusive in praising Monangai is a sign that the team might have gotten a steal and he could be a huge steal.
The critics have been harsh on the Chicago Bears rushing attack. There is not much confidence in the unit around league analysts. Many still feel the running backs room is one of the weakest in the NFL.
However, the offensive line up front is greatly improved. Additionally, the Chicago Bears coaching staff last season committed malpractice the way they misused the running backs. As mentioned earlier, Swift is a speed guy who can hit the edges and outrun defenders. He is not a between the tackles guy.
Monangai has a chance to be a big contributor to the new look offense. The way he runs and his sure hands can certainly help make him become a fan favorite quickly. It looks as if he already is a favorite of his head coach.
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