Seventh-Round Steal? Kyle Monangai Could Be Chicago’s Most Important RB in ’25

Every day at OTAs attended by media, and at minicamp, the loud voice of Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy could be heard during the skills portion of practice.

Most often it was pointed at seventh-round running back Kyle Monangai, but not because he is a wasted pick. It's because Ben Johnson and Bieniemy see something worth coaching in him.

"If we happen to bring in a guy we're going to put our arms around him, we’re going to coach him up, but he’s going to have to understand what we’re going to live by," Bieniemy had said before they picked Monangai. "There is a standard in which I expect this team to perform, and there’s a way in which we’re gonna conduct ourselves on a daily basis."

Monangai is learning what it is.

Coach Ben Johnson all but certified that they have this belief in Monangai when he named the former Rutgers back among the four players who surprised him the most during offseason work, because of "...the attention to detail and the pride he takes and how quickly he's picking things up, as well," Johnson said.

Perhaps the most important thing the Bears are looking for in running backs at this time is pass blockers. 

They can't really see this in OTAs and minicamp without pads on but they can measure reaction time and ability to pick up a blitzer and no where to be as a blocker. The rest can be watched later.

Monangai had this ability in college and it came to the attention of Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema when he analyzed who had the best draft classes.

"I was surprised that Chicago didn't attack running back before the seventh round, but I do like Monangai—if nothing else, as a strong pass-protecting, third-down back," Sikkema wrote.

The Bears have a big yardage running back in D'Andre Swift. They think Roschon Johnson can run with power when it's needed. Swift and Johnson both can contribute as receivers and have in the past.

Swift has not been a good pass blocker. Last year PFF graded him 114th out of 130 running backs at blocking for passes. Johnson had been respectable at 68th out of 138 as a rookie, which generated hope he could develop. Instead, he was graded 103rd out of 130 last year in the offense of Shane Waldron/Thomas Brown.

Travis Homer is a good blocker. He had the highest PFF pass blocking grade of any back in the NFL last season (90.1) but he only threw 17 blocks. So what good is that?

The problem with Homer is he's not going to be in the backfield to carry the ball. So when he's on the field it's only as a blocker or possibly receiver. The opponent knows the Bears are passing and Johnson loses his much-coveted matchup advantage.

All of the pass blocking the Bears brought in on the line with their changes this offseason is rendered a good notch or two weaker if they don't have a running back who can pick up the occasional blitzer or battle someone who managed to break free. It's part of the reason they seemed to blitz more than in past OTAs and minicamps during scrimmage, although Dennis Allen's defensive scheme does call for more blitzing.

If Monangai can just bring this one quality to the Bears backfield and then develop into a runner and receiver, they'd be strong enough at the position that they probably wouldn't need to add another back.

Monangai's speed might be lacking as a breakaway back, but he displayed enough ability to run through tackles or make tacklers miss at Rutgers that there would be hope he could become a starter much like former Rutgers back Isaiah Pacheco has.

They haven't signed a veteran running back because they want to assess whether they think they can get by with the backs they have, and they may need take this into early training camp because they need to see pass blocking in pads before being certain of what they're seeing.

Veteran options as blockers

If they do need a back, there's a good reason Nick Chubb rates as the player everyone talks about, and it's not just his running. He blocked and caught passes when necessary.

Chubb was the best blocking running back in the NFL out of 152 backs in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus. He had a ridiculous grade of 91.4 for 39 blocks he threw. He had been graded at 80.5 in 2021.

The problem with all of this is Chubb's pass blocking dropped off just like his rushing did when he suffered the ACL injury and then last year's foot injury. PFF graded him at at abysmal 47.3 for 25 pass blocks last year and the previous season at 25.8 for only six blocks the season of his injury.

His pass blocking prowess might have gone the way of his running ability with the injury, and at age 29, 30 this December, it's easy to wonder if it ever comes back.

The best younger back still available is Chargers free agent J.K. Dobbins, who currently as a tag on him of sorts making it necessary for teams to give him a bit bigger paycheck.

While it's his running and receiver that make him valued at age 26, he also has flashed as a pass blocker. He was 25th out of 130 last year on 100 blocks according to PFF. Dobbins blocking seemed to be at its best when he blocked more often. He was 37th of 152 in 2020 but has been below 50 for  grade in other years.

Like with Dobbins, Cam Akers seemed to shine as a blocker at times. He had grades of 71.2 in 2023 and 73.9 in 2022, the year he threw his most pass blocks, but last year struggled badly.

Maybe the best pass blocking option for the Bears if they brought in a running back would be former Saints and Lions back Jamaal Williams.

Like Chubb, he has age as an obstacle but it's even worse because he's 30 already. However, he's never really suffered a career-threatening injury.

Williams' best blocking season might have been 2022 wen he threw 58 pass blocks for a 72.3 grade and did it in Johnson's Lions offense. He also was at 70.4 in 2021 when Johnson was passing game coordinator for the offense. With the Packers as a younger player from 2017-19, Willims had grades of 87.3, 76.6 and 89.5 helping protect Aaron Rodgers.

The Bears would definitely be satisfied with that, but like with Chubb, that level of play might have been something Williams can't attain again due to age.