Bears tried to re-sign David Montgomery: "It just didn't happen" |
The Chicago Bears had hoped to re-sign running back
David Montgomery, but their efforts fell short as he ultimately signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Detroit Lions.
Montgomery had been a third-round draft pick by the Bears in 2019, and had proven to be a valuable asset to the team, rushing for 3,609 yards and 26 touchdowns over four seasons. According to Ryan Poles, the team's director of player personnel, the Bears had communicated well with Montgomery and had negotiated in good faith to try and bring him back. However, sometimes there are factors beyond a team's control that can influence a player's decision, and it seems that was the case with Montgomery. “Players do have a choice,” Poles said. “I thought we communicated well. I thought we negotiated well. At the same time, you don’t always know what’s going on in the background, but I thought we did a good job, we were transparent, we were organized and it just didn’t happen.” Despite missing out on Montgomery, Poles still has respect for the running back and believes he will be a formidable opponent in the NFC North. “He definitely is going to run with a chip on his shoulder, so we’ll be ready for that. Happy for him. He’s a guy I’ve respected since he was at Iowa State and I love the way he runs.” To fill the void left by Montgomery's departure, the Bears signed D'Onta Foreman who rushed for 914 yards and five touchdowns last season. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is excited to see what Foreman can bring to the team, and expects him to compete for the starting role at running back. “He is a big runner who can really get things downhill and can take it the distance,” Eberflus said. “And he is very competitive. So I’m excited to get him on the field and to let him compete for that position.” Overall, while the Bears may have missed out on re-signing Montgomery, they have still made moves to address their running back position and remain confident in their ability to compete in the NFC North. It will be interesting to see how Foreman performs in his new role and if Montgomery can continue to be a force to be reckoned within the division.
