The Chicago Bears running back depth chart looks remarkably different from where it was last season. Jordan Howard and Benny Cunningham are gone. David Montgomery, Mike Davis, and Kerrith Whyte are all new additions. All three look like they can be quality contributors to the backfield in multiple ways. One would think the team is satisfied with where they’re at with the position.
Per usual, GM Ryan Pace proved once again that he is never satisfied with the status quo.
After parting ways with kicker Elliott Fry on Sunday, the Bears had two roster spots open. So it was only a matter of time before one was filled. The other shoe finally dropped when the team announced they’d signed running back Josh Caldwell. This came as a mild surprise. Another running back? Why? It’s not like they need another one. Well that question has a few answers to it.
For one, Caldwell was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs not too long ago. Head coach Matt Nagy obviously trusts their eye for talent at the position. He should. Not only is Andy Reid great at finding them, so is their running backs coach Deland McCullough. The same man who developed both Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard at Indiana.
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Chicago Bears have something interesting in Caldwell
The best way to describe Caldwell is a complete unknown. This is a kid who made his living in Division II, primarily at Northwest Missouri State. During his final season there, he managed 830 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns on just 139 total carries. A welcome sign that the guy gets plenty of bang for his buck. The tape reveals a player with a low center of gravity, great contact balance, and surprising power.
He wasn’t just a stud at one college either. He was actually great at Missouri Western as well, running for over 1,400 yards in 2016. Production wasn’t a problem during his career but it wasn’t enough to get him noticed on draft board. The Chiefs, who have deep connections in the Missouri region, were unsurprisingly the team who picked up on him. However, after adding two new running backs to their depth chart in Carlos Hyde and Darwin Thompson, the odds of him making it were slim.
As things stand they don’t look much better in Chicago. That said, the Bears may have made a wise decision picking him up all the same. Not only does he protect them from injuries to players higher on the depth chart, but they also have the advantage of working to convince him to return on their practice squad. Running back is one of those positions where such spots can be quite valuable. There is no question Caldwell has talent.
