The Chicago Bears’ running back room has a clear top end, but the real intrigue starts after D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
Those two sit comfortably at the top of the depth chart. The fight that matters is the one for RB3, where Roschon Johnson, Salvon Ahmed, Brittain Brown, and Coleman Bennett are set to battle it out in training camp.
Johnson brings the edge of familiarity with the Bears, while Brown enters the mix with some momentum after scoring a touchdown in last year’s regular season. Still, Ahmed is the name that could end up turning heads.
Ahmed’s NFL path has already shown he can flash. He first made noise with the Miami Dolphins in 2020, when he started four of six games and finished with 319 rushing yards, 61 receiving yards, and two rushing touchdowns. Since then, his production has been quieter, but he still logged 32 games from 2021 to 2023 and totaled 274 rushing yards, 213 receiving yards, and three touchdowns overall.
He has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2023, though he has spent time with the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts since then. Before his run in Miami, he was also with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.
What gives Ahmed a real shot in Chicago is the way he fits the backfield. The Bears have plenty of talent there, and Ahmed offers something different with his versatility. He can help as both a runner and a receiver, and that kind of two-way utility matters when a roster spot is on the line.
There’s also a connection working in his favor that hasn’t gotten much attention. Ahmed already knows Bears head coach Ben Johnson and running backs coach Eric Studesville, with the three having crossed paths in Miami. That familiarity could matter as the Bears sort through the final decisions.
This is the kind of competition that may not be settled until the end of camp, and Chicago could even decide to keep a fourth running back in the mix. Ahmed’s speed and his ability to make defenders miss give him a real chance to separate himself.
So while Bears fans may be focused on the bigger names, Ahmed is the sleeper worth watching. Don’t be surprised if he’s still around when Week 1 arrives.
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