The running back position remains unsettled in terms of who will be the starter come opening night against the Green Bay Packers. Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy has said he plans to distribute the ball to multiple backs, but there’s also been an indication that he’ll feed guys who show they deserve it. That’s why this competition is serious. Tarik Cohen has his own package of plays, so it comes down to David Montgomery and Mike Davis.
Through the first set of practices, it felt like the two were even. Each had his strong moments with nice catches or nifty runs. They also had their share of mistakes with Montgomery fumbling the ball and David missing a block or dropping a pass. However, the Friday practice on August 2nd may have seen a decisive shift in Montgomery’s favor. He delivered his best all-around performance in a Bears uniform on this day.
It started in pass blocking drills. There were early reps where he looked like a rookie, failing to set his feet right and getting sidestepped or out-leveraged by linebackers for sacks. Finally, he seemed to get fed up and really stuck his nose in on two of them, stonewalling the defenders. A good sign that the rookie is competitive and can learn quickly. The best was still to come though.
David Montgomery is truly the total package
Next came pass-catching drills. The running backs and linebackers would match up one-on-one on running routes. Montgomery was sharp throughout this session. Everything from his natural hands to his deceptive speed and route running prowess was on display as he made some nice catches. His biggest asset was his feet. It’s really amazing how quick they are. His ability to shift direction and maintain his balance made it hard both to cover him and get hands on him for tackles in later scrimmage drills.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
His biggest moment of the day though showcased the constantly overlooked part of his game: power.
People get so caught up in his receiving skills that they forget Montgomery is a strong young man. This was showcased during a run towards the end of practice. On the snap, he took a handoff to the left. The defense appeared to have him stopped near the line of scrimmage. He shook off a few tackle attempts and kept going. Defenders rallied to the ball and tried to bring him down but he dragged them along for several yards before finishing his run with an emphatic lowering of his shoulder pad, knocking a safety to the turf.
It was a thrilling end to a complete practice period for Montgomery. Everything that the team loved about him coming out of Iowa State was on display. There is still a long way to go, but that was the sort of statement that tends to get coaches on a player’s side when deciding depth chart pecking order.
