Head coach Ben Johnson turned around the Chicago Bears run game in a single season with a duo that includes D’Andre Swift, a player he helped trade out of Detroit three years ago, and Kyle Monangai, a seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers.
A revamped offensive line — which ranked No. 2 in the NFL heading into Week 17, according to Pro Football Focus — has helped the Chicago rushing attack move into the top three league-wide.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report predicted the Bears will attempt another leap via the pursuit of pending free agent running back Travis Etienne Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars when he becomes a free agent next March.
“The Bears have been a revelation under Ben Johnson and could take another step forward in 2026 with Etienne in their backfield,” Kay wrote Tuesday, December 30. “Chicago currently ranks No. 3 in rushing offense and could lead the league in this category if it opts to make an upgrade from current starter D’Andre Swift to Etienne.”
Kay projected that Etienne will ink a four-year deal with the Bears for a total of $34 million.
Travis Etienne Among Most Consistently Healthy, Productive RBs in NFL Over Past 4 Seasons
GettyRunning back Travis Etienne Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Etienne, who will play next season at 27 years old, needs 51 rushing yards in Week 18 against the Tennessee Titans to break his career mark of 1,125 ground yards. He already has a career high of 13 total touchdowns this season, including seven rushing scores and six TDs through the air on 35 receptions for 286 receiving yards.
The Jaguars RB sat out his entire rookie campaign in 2021 with a Lisfranc injury in his left foot. Since then, however, he has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in three of four seasons at an average clip of 4.3 yards per carry.
Despite a down year in 2024, Etienne has bounced back and proven himself a true dual-threat option with a reliable health history who can contribute to meaningful winning.
Jacksonville went 9-8 in 2022 and 2023 with Etienne as the lead back, capturing the AFC South Division and a playoff spot in 2022. The Jaguars defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the opening weekend of that postseason, falling by a touchdown to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
The Jags have won their division again this season and will most likely enter the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 3 seed, though the second seed is possible if they defeat Tennessee and both the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots lose in Week 18.
Bears May Part With D’Andre Swift Despite Big Season in 2025
GettyChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift.
Swift has been a solid option for Chicago in 2025, but Johnson has already moved on from him once.
He has tallied 1,338 yards from scrimmage and 10 total TDs across 15 games and still as one contest against the Detroit Lions to add to those numbers.
Swift profiled as a potential cut candidate early in the season, as Chicago can save $7.5 million against the salary cap by releasing him next spring/summer ahead of the final year on his $24 million contract.
However, given Swift’s production and the fact that he will play next season at just 27 years old, he makes sense as a potential trade candidate if Johnson decides another back suits his offense better and could accomplish even more in 2026 than Swift has in 2025.
How the Bears fare in the playoffs could also factor into the equation. Chicago has already captured the NFC North Division and will claim the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win over the Lions Sunday or an Eagles loss to the Washington Commanders in Philadelphia.
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