Windy City Gridiron
The 2025 NFL Draft is inching closer and closer. With the Chicago Bears addressing their biggest needs during free agency, the focus will now turn to lower-value positions like running back. With a brand new coaching staff and blocking scheme in place, we’ll take a look at 10 running backs who best fit.
The NFL world has swiftly moved on from Free Agency and has, in turn, shifted its focus to the 2025 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears are no strangers to the general consensus around the league, believing they’ve had a strong offseason. We’ve been here before, as recently as last year, but there’s reason to believe things can be different this time around. The Bears attacked the trenches with conviction, and it appears that the front office and coaching staff have truly found a cohesion that didn’t exist during the Matt Eberflus era.
Now the team will transition from adding proven talent to something with many different variables, including projecting how young players will translate to the next level. Although the NFL Draft can be unpredictable and full of surprises, it is the most proven avenue to build a Super Bowl contender. Chicago will have four picks in the Top 72, and thanks to their aggressive approach during the onset of free agency, they’ll go into draft weekend with a wide-open board. Somewhere in those first few selections, the Bears are expected to add more firepower to Ben Johnson’s offense. While fans are used to focusing on pass catchers as a primary source for the skill positions, Johnson’s offensive success has been heavily predicated on a dynamic running back duo. With D’Andre Swift in the fold for at least another year, the first-year head coach can focus on adding the first of his two long-term pieces at the running back position.
The hires made within his coaching staff are equally important to Johnson’s strengths. While names like offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and wide receivers coach Antwan Randle-El caught the most headlines in January, being able to pull away top-end offensive line coach Dan Roushar away from Tulane should prove to be one of Johnson’s most impactful hires. Roushar comes from zone-based principles, emphasizing a wide zone blocking scheme, which is similar to what Johnson ran the most in Detroit.
Roushar spent some time with radio announcers Jeff Joniak and Tom Thayer on Bears Weekly. He broke down his start to coaching and why he transitioned from playing quarterback to coaching offensive line. His introduction to zone blocking schemes and how he adapted his approach from 1991 onwards was most interesting. The veteran offensive line coach also spoke about adapting to personnel, whether it’s a player with athletic limitations or having an athletic stud who simply needs help adjusting to the scheme. It was an interesting conversation but the main takeaway was that Johnson brought him in specifically because of his work as a zone blocking guru, primarily in wide zone.
With all three interior offensive linemen in place...
