The Chicago Bears have one of the most intriguing offenses in the National Football League heading into the 2024 season.
It all starts, of course, with first-overall pick Caleb Williams, who will take over from day one at quarterback. And Williams has been given a lot of talent to work with right off the bat, particularly at receiver, where the Bears have three talented options.
The running back position is another point of interest, with Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson and Velus Jones Jr. all in the mix. But the headliner is Swift, who the Bears paid to be their bellcow back heading into the season, which has put him in the crosshairs of one football outlet.
On Thursday, Swift was named to Bleacher Report's "All-Overpaid Team" by Ryan Fowler, who called Swift the "worst investment" among current NFL running backs.
"Swift will start as the lead back in Chicago, but it remains a question if he can replicate his success behind a weaker offensive line," said. "Considering Chicago has both Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson (963 rushing yards combined in 2023) on the roster, the money tied to Swift looks like a bit of an overpay at the moment."
Swift, 25, made the Pro Bowl last season in his lone year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed a three-year, $24 million contract with Chicago this spring, coming off his first 1,000-yard season in a four-year career to this point.
Running back contracts have taken a huge hit in the past few seasons, after the deals signed by older backs like Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley aged poorly. $8 million per season at a lot of positions is small potatoes, but many of the best backs nowadays are on rookie deals, so it puts Swift in the upper tax bracket among his peers.
If Swift can replicate his Pro Bowl success in a new offense, it will be hard for anyone to say the Bears overpaid for him. But he was working behind an elite offensive line in Philadelphia, on an offense with another rushing threat at quarterback and two top-tier receivers.
The Bears may have the building blocks to create a similar environment that allows Swift to shine. And if he needed some extra motivation to perform, perhaps being named to the "All-Overpaid Team" will light that spark.
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