BEARS WARNING: Ryan Poles cannot afford another D’Andre Swift-level mistake!

Ryan Poles got the Chicago Bears' last major running back decision wrong when he signed D'Andre Swift right out of the gate in free agency last year.

He can't afford to make the same mistake this time around in the NFL Draft with Omarion Hampton, who recently had his visit with the team at Halas Hall.

In that free agency period, everyone knew the top running back on the open market was Saquan Barkley. He was coming off of a down year with the New York Giants, but he was still in the prime of his career.

But instead of going out and getting the top weapon available for his backfield like Barkley or Derrick Henry, Poles opted to sign the cheaper but still exciting option in Swift.

Swift ended up getting a higher average salary per year than Tony Pollard and Aaron Jones, who both out-produced him this season.

The Bears are again facing the same type of running back talent dynamic in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Ashton Jeanty from Boise State is the consensus top running back, and multiple teams in the top 10 could be interested in drafting him.

If he doesn't make it to Chicago's pick at 10, Poles can't make the Swift mistake again by reaching for North Carolina's Omarion Hampton or any other running back in that spot.

It's not a knock on Hampton. He may very well be a fine NFL player, but you don't draft a "fine" running back that early. He has to be special.

Jeanty looks to be in the Barkley category of running back and is the only ball-carrier worthy of the Bears' selection that high.

Hampton would feel like another Swift-like move, where Poles overspends on a lesser player who ends up disappointing based on the investment the team made in him.

Like with the free agent decision, there will be other running backs in the draft that won't require as significant of an investment (a first round pick) and could still produce the same or better than the likes of Hampton.

Poles has shown he learns from his mistakes in other areas of the roster. Let's hope he takes the same mindset for his second swing at running back.