The Chicago Bears were on the hunt for a running back early in the 2025 NFL draft and could resume that pursuit next April.
Matt Miller of ESPN on June 30 authored his first 2026 mock draft, for which star Notre Dame rusher Jeremiyah Love will be eligible. Miller predicted that the Bears will be in position to select Love with the No. 17 overall pick, suggesting that Chicago will sniff the playoffs but ultimately fall just short of the postseason in a competitive NFC North division.
“The Bears were rumored to be interested in Ashton Jeanty had he fallen to them in the 2025 draft, so perhaps 2026 is when they’ll get a running back,” Miller wrote. “Love was one of the best running backs in the country last season as a sophomore, rushing for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is a bruising runner at 6-foot and 206 pounds but can also break off big plays — see his 98-yard TD against Indiana in the first round of the playoffs — and shake tacklers in space. That, plus his receiving skills, makes him the perfect feature back for new coach Ben Johnson’s offense.”
Jeremiyah Love Could Play Alongside or Replace D’Andre Swift in Chicago
GettyNotre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Swift is a holdover from the Bears’ previous coaching regime, though he does have a history with Johnson from their shared time with the Detroit Lions.
The Lions selected Swift in the second round of the 2020 draft (No. 35 overall) out of Georgia. He played three seasons in Detroit, including one with Johnson as his offensive coordinator, before the Lions traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Swift made a Pro Bowl in Philly that season, parlaying his success into a three-year contract worth $24 million in Chicago under head coach Matt Eberflus. Meanwhile, the Lions put together a two-headed rushing attack with former Bears rusher David Montgomery and 2023 rookie Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 overall pick).
Johnson accepted the Bears’ open head coaching position this offseason after the team fired Eberflus during the middle of a 10-game losing streak in 2024. Chicago’s interest in Jeanty sparked speculation that the Bears might pursue an upgrade next to, or ahead of, Swift this offseason beyond third-year back Roschon Johnson.
That has not materialized to this point, but Johnson favors a dual-running back attack and already traded Swift — now 26 years old — away once. That potentially opens the door for a shift away from Swift in Chicago either this summer or next offseason ahead of the final year of his contract.
D’Andre Swift Produced Career-Low Efficiency for Bears in 2024
GettyChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift.
Swift produced a solid campaign in terms of traditional statistics last season, tallying 959 rushing yards and six rushing TDs along with 42 receptions for 386 receiving yards. However, he produced a career-low of 3.8 yards per carry.
Johnson has dealt with concussion issues early during his professional career and has just two years remaining on his rookie contract.
Even as a first-round draft pick, Love would provide Chicago with a cost-controlled option in the backfield over a four-year stint. His contract would also come with a fifth-year team option in 2030, which would render him potentially a longterm successor to Swift moving forward in the Johnson era.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bears Predicted to Acquire 17-TD Running Back to Succeed Swift appeared first on Heavy Sports.