Post by Deleted on May 22, 2018 17:06:18 GMT -6
Chicago Bears backfield ranked fourth-best in the entire NFL
ByMatt Eurich 3 hours ago
In recent years it has been hard for the Chicago Bears to garner much respect on the offensive side of the football. There are many of reasons why that has been the case. During the John Fox era the team spent two seasons with Dowell Loggains as the offensive coordinator. Loggains appeared to be hamstrung by Fox at times as a play-caller, limiting the overall impact of the offense in Chicago. Despite that, the running game has been very productive for the organization over the course of the last couple of seasons. Now that backfield is starting to earn some respect around the league.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently ranked all 32 backfields in the NFL ahead of the start of training camps in late July. He is clearly a fan of what the Bears have in their backfield, putting the combination of Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Benny Cunningham, Taquan Mizzell, Ryan Nall and Michael Burton (fullback) at No. 4 on his list. He noted the productivity of Howard through the first two years of his career. No player in team history has rushed for more yards (2,435) than he has in his first two years in the league. In addition to what Howard brings to the table, Knox likes the backups who are on the roster, writing:
"Howard isn't the only standout back on the roster, though. Tarik Cohen is a supremely talented runner and receiver and a perfect complement to Howard. Last season, he amassed 370 rushing yards, 53 receptions and 353 receiving yards.
Benny Cunningham is the No. 3 back behind Howard and Cohen, but he's a quality contributor when he gets on the field. He caught 20 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns in 2017. Taquan Mizzell appeared in three games as a rookie last season but didn't record any statistics. He is purely depth.
Michael Burton served as fullback last season, and he is a good lead blocker. He could, however, be pushed for the starting job by fullback-running back hybrid Ryan Nall."
Cohen has a real chance in this offense to bust out in a big way. New head coach Matt Nagy has already gushed over his young running back and there is reason to believe he will be an integral part of the offense this season because of his ability to catch the football. Knox also pointed out how Cunningham was reliable for the organization when he was on the field last season. He could once again resume his role as the team's third-down back.
Knox lists Mizzell as "purely depth" but there is reason to believe he could be a surprise contributor for the team this year because his skill set fits Nagy's scheme. In four years at Virginia, he rushed for 2,068 yards on 460 attempts with 12 touchdowns. He also caught 195 passes for 1,560 yards with seven touchdowns. He may be difficult to make the roster given the talent that is already there, but Mizzell is at least and intriguing name to watch.
Lastly, he lists Nall as someone who could compete with Burton for the final spot on the roster as the team's fullback. Nall is a hybrid running back who proved at Oregon State he can make an impact in both the passing and running games. The former tight end/H-back/running back rushed for 2,216 yards on 385 carries with 24 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 56 passes for 563 yards with four receiving touchdowns. In the end, that battle will come down to whether or not the team wants a traditional fullback or not.
The only teams that landed higher on Knox's list were the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.
