The Chicago Bears have a mandate for change under new head coach Ben Johnson, and he may start by dealing a player he’s already traded once before.
Running back D’Andre Swift played for the Detroit Lions when Johnson was the offensive coordinator there in 2022. Following that season, Johnson was part of a group of decision makers who shipped Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles and then drafted Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick to replace him.
That move worked well enough that it might make sense for Johnson to repeat history two years later. Swift earned Pro Bowl honors in Philly but put up the worst statistical campaign of his five-year NFL tenure in Chicago last season.
Swift could change his fortunes if sticks around. Johnson has an offensive background compared to the defensive-minded Matt Eberflus, for whom Swift played in 2024. Beyond that, Chicago has invested heavily in upgrades to the interior of the offensive line, which should help Swift find more running room and improve his receiving numbers via better pass protection for second-year QB Caleb Williams.
But despite all of that, Swift remains a prime trade candidate in Chicago — at least in part because the rookie class of running backs in 2025 is so skilled and so deep, not to mention less expensive.
Bears Can Get Off D’Andre Swift’s Contract Cheaply This Offseason
GettyRunning back D’Andre Swift of the Chicago Bears.
Sterling Xie of Pro Football & Sports Network was the latest analyst to identify Swift as the Bears’ most likely trade chip post-draft, authoring a case for the move on Friday, April 18.
“It feels like Swift could use a change of scenery. He averaged a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry in 2024, and his 39.5% rushing success rate ranked 42nd out of 46 RBs with 100+ rushes,” Xie wrote. “Swift still has two years left on the three-year, $24 million deal he signed last offseason. That makes the timing of this important, as the Bears would want to wait until after June 1 to trade Swift. By doing so, they’d save $8 million in cap room and take on a minuscule $1.3 million dead cap hit the next two years.”
“It would also give the Bears the luxury of seeing if they come away with one of their preferred running backs in the draft,” Xie continued.
He identified the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers as the three most likely trade partners for Swift, depending on how the draft shakes out.
Bears Predicted to Draft Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson
GettyOhio State running back TreVeyon Henderson.
Chicago is reportedly incredibly high on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, though so is pretty much every other team selecting in the top half of the draft’s first round.
It is unlikely Jeanty will fall to the Bears all the way at No. 10, so Chicago will either have to trade up for him or look for another running back down the line — assuming the franchise plans to draft a rusher, which most national analysts and team insiders believe it does.
Field Yates of ESPN predicted on April 15 that the Bears will select Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson with the No. 39 overall pick in the second round after taking Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at No. 10.
“The Bears aren’t messing around on offense here,” Yates wrote in the mock draft he co-authored with Mel Kiper Jr. “First, they got Tyler Warren. Now they can get Caleb Williams an explosive runner in the backfield. Henderson averaged 7.1 yards per carry last season and can run away from the defense.”
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