Top potential running backs for Chicago Bears to pursue in trades

The Bears took a good look at D'Andre Swift during OTAs and minicamp and whether they add another running back might depend more on what they feel about the ability of some of the other backs, like Roschon Johnson or rookie Kyle Monangai, than their starter.

Swift's status looked good when he seemed to find immediate favor with his new coach, Ben Johnson, even though they Lions demoted him during Johnson's first Detroit year as coordinator and let him back up Jamaal Williams.

Although he played in Johnson's offense it appears Swift lacked much of a head start over other Bears backs in learning this offense in Chicago even after one season playing for Johnson at Detroit.

It was a while ago, back to 2022, and also the offense has been altered.

"From when I left, I don't know if it's the same from when I left, but as we're installing it, things are starting to come back to me a little bit more," Swift said.

Johnson verified Swift had learning to do.

"For him, right now, it's the tracks on all of our run game, being consistent and true to that, and the pass-pro is a little bit new for him, as well," Johnson said.

If they decided it was imperative to add another back, the supply of free agent starting level players for a shared backfield is down pretty much to J.K. Dobbins, Cam Akers and 30-year-old Jamaal Williams.

Dobbins is easily their best option but he has already visited with Denver.

The Bears are not limited to pursuing a back as a free agent.

They could always trade.

Finding players this way is tricky both because of trade compensation and the availability factor. Players most likely to be traded who could assume larger roles are players whose contracts expire after this season. Their teams would want to deal them because they could bring back a better draft pick than they might get by counting on the NFL's compensatory pick formula for losing a player in free agency.

There are possibilities out there, but in many of the cases the current team would be unlikely to part with players until at least the end of training camp because they need to know whether inexperienced players they've already brought onto the roster could be adequate replacements.

Here are top backs without contracts for 2026 who could be worth a Bears trade.

1. Kenneth Walker, Seahawks

With Zach Charbonnet, Damien Martinez, Kenny McIntosh and a few others behind him, Walker might be in position to be traded. It would depend on what they thought in training camp of Martinez, the rookie from Miami who runs with power and makes tacklers miss. McIntosh has been in a third back role before while Charbonnet has split time as starter. If Martinez delivers in camp and preseason, it could be far more likely Seattle would deal its 2022 second-round draft pick. At 5-9, 211, he's not your prototypical big back, but he also isn't a speed or third-down type. He could share a backfield with Swift and has had mixed results. He averages 4.2 yards a carry but last year's 3.7 ypc dragged him down a bit. From Seattle's standpoint, unless they can get back a second- or third-rounder in return they should just hang onto him and have him leave in free agency so they get a third-round comp pick.

2. Jerome Ford, Browns

Ford has become a spare part for Cleveland much the way Chubb did. They drafted Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson  in rounds two and four respectively. With the other two backs so inexperienced, they may want to keep Ford around a year, but his contract expires before 2026 and they could get more for him by swinging a deal now. Ford wound up in a starting role in 2023 and Chubb's knee injury then meant 204 carries in his first real exposure as a main ball carrier. He averaged 4.0 yards a carry with 813 yards, and caught 44 passes for 319 yards (7.3 ypc) with five TDs. At 5-10, 210, he ran with excellent power in 2023, breaking 26 tackles on running plays. For his career, with 397 total touches, he has broken a very solid 42 tackles. It wouldn't be difficult to project him into a role with the Bears alongside Swift. But Ford is no slammer in the mold of a David Montgomery or even Roschon Johnson. He ran 4.46 seconds in the combine 40, so he can move and play an all-around game. Last year, though, he only carried 104 times and his 5.4-yard average showed he hasn't lost that speed.

3. Tyler Allgeier, Falcons

A real load to handle at 5-11, 220, he has been in a backup role throughout his time in Atlanta. He started seven of the 16 games as a rookie, then only three more after the Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson. Allgeier probably delivers more punishment than he does break tackles. He has 32 broken tackles on his 580 touches and averaged 4.4 yards on his 533 rushing attempts. He only carried 137 times last year and with Robinson they might want to give him more of a heavy workload now. They do have Jase McClellan and big back Carlos Washington Jr. who could pick up the slack if they did trade Allgeier, who was a 2022 fifth-rounder.

4. Jaylen Warren, Steelers

He has been the perfect second back during the Najee Harris years and would fit well into that role with the Bears as an all-around threat who can run with power and speed. He has never started a game but has 346 carries for a 4.8-yard average and 127 catches for 894 yards. He has also broken 57 tackles for his 473 total touches. Unlike the Browns, though, Pittsburgh drafted just one back for the future in former Iowa back Kaleb Johnson. So they'll most likely want to keep Warren around for this year and try to convince him to sign a contract for much less than he's worth, then watch him walk next year in free agency while they bring in another back.

5. Travis Etienne, Jaguars

Liam Coen called rumors Etienne could be traded "absolutely inaccurate." Yet, the Jaguars have Tank Bigsby, who led them in rushing last year. And they just drafted Bhayshul Tuten in Round 3 and LeQuint Allen Jr. in Round 7. Etienne seems like he'd have little to do this year. It is the final year of the first-round pick's contract because the Jaguars did not pick up his fifth-year option. With Bigsby on board, the Jaguars cut back Etienne's carries in Year 3 from 267 to 150 and Coen loves shared backfield roles. So this definitely is a case where there could be smoke for quite a while when it comes to trade rumors.

6. Chuba Hubbard, Panthers

It's been reported by Sports Illustrated and ESPN that the Panthers have no plans to trade Hubbard, who is in the final year of his contract. Then why did they sign Dallas back Rico Dowdle and draft Trevor Etienne? Perhaps they will just keep Hubbard for this year as insurance and to split up carries and then let him leave in free agency like it seems so many teams are doing with running backs once they hit Year 5. Then again, maybe someone makes them an offer they can't refuse. Hubbard is a hard runner at 210 pounds and has broken 60 tackles on 876 touches in four seasons. He had 238 and 250 carries the last two years after just 172 and 95 in his first two years.

7. Rachaad White, Buccaneers

Bucky Irving's emergence means White is a backup for Tampa Bay. White's contract is expiring after this year but the Buccaneers appear set for a last go-around with him or to try and retain him because there's no trade buzz.  White has averaged only 3.8 yards a carry in his three seasons but has an excellent 165 receptions.  Tampa Bay didn't add another back to push him out the door.

8. Pierre Strong, Browns

The Browns had so many backs when you consider the two they just drafted, and if you put Chubb in their circle of influence still during free agency, it was a crowded picture indeed. But Chubb's going with the Texans. Like Ford, Strong is in the last year of his contract and was a fifth-round pick. Considering he's less accomplished, with only 99 career carries, but has gained 499 yards, this is a player to wait around on to see if he's cut rather than pursue in a deal. Cleveland may just want to keep him as a third back instead of Ford because they could get more for Ford in a trade. It would seem unlikely they would keep both Strong and Ford with the two draft picks they have. Strong has already been traded once, from the Patriots to Cleveland after his rookie year. At 215 pounds, he's not a huge back but has 216 of his 499 yards after contact and has had five broken tackles, all in 2023 when he had a career-high 291 yards.

9. Breece Hall, Jets

This is a total pipe dream. Hall is in his final year but the Jets haven't brought aboard a potential replacement. The Bears would need to probably trade them a back in return if they acquired Hall. There has been a constant flow of rumors since free agency about Hall's departure but that could all be the result of a big media throng in New York with nothing else to write about now that their flaky quarterback era has ended.