Could the Bears add a dynamic RB before the trade deadline? |
Dustin Riese
· · 6 hours ago
We may only be three weeks into the NFL season, but that won't stop teams from looking to bolster their rosters. While most notable free agents have already signed with their teams, several role-level type players remain, as any team needing roster help could look to add a piece.
The Bears may not be in that position right now, but with the NFL trade deadline less than six weeks away, it's never too early to start mentioning some names, as the Bears could be in the market to add some pieces. When you examine Chicago's roster, the biggest positions of need at present are the secondary, the pass rush, and an improved running game overall. When it comes to secondary help, we discussed four potential free agent options last week, as any one of the four players would help this team. Pass-rushing help could be tricky, as there are some free agent options, but none of them move the needle. That is a position that may be harder to trade for than people think, and Chicago may not want to give up what it would cost to get some of the potential available players. Then comes the third and final area of roster improvement, as Chiago could use some help in the running game. Granted, D'Andre Swift did show some signs of life against the Dallas Cowboys, as did Kyle Monangai, but with Swift averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and Monangai struggling to get touches, the Bears' rushing attack is one of the worst in the NFL at the moment. Without diving too deep into what has caused the lack of rushing success thus far, this is a team built to run the ball, and Ben Johnson has used the running back position better than most when he was the Lions' offensive coordinator. Things are still early in the season, so there is plenty of time for the Bears to turn things around, but should they continue to struggle running the football, two potential names are popping up as trade deadline options to help this team. While not the biggest name on the list, he could be the most logical trade target, as Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is a name to watch in the coming weeks. There is no way around it; the Miami Dolphins are horrible this season, and barring a miracle, they are going to be battling it out for the top pick in next year's draft. That's hard to believe when you look at the offensive talent on that team, and Achane is one of the many pieces who could become available sooner rather than later. Since breaking into the league, Achance has been one of the better playmakers in the game and has been one of the more reliable options on the Dolphins' offense. Up to this season, Achane was splitting time with Raheem Mostert in the backfield, as this is the first time he is the feature back. Despite that, Achane has been an extremely productive player, racking up more than 2700 yards from scrimmage across 31 games and scoring 25 total touchdowns. He has achieved this while averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has hauled in more than 120 receptions, as Achane does a little bit of everything for Miami. When you look at what the Lions offense looked like when Johnson was running the show, Achane is similar to Jahmyr Gibbs, making him a nice pairing with Swift. Another name that is starting to surface as a trade target is Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne. Unlike the Dolphins, who are 0-3 and fading fast, Jacksonville is off to a 2-1 start, and the longer they stay in the divisional race, the less likely it is that they will make a move. However, after trading away Tank Bibsby to Philadelphia following their week one game, you can never rule out the possibility of a surprise move, as trading Etienne would hurt the Jags, but could be the best option for the Jaguars and their overall future. Like Achane, Etienne would give the Bears a Gibbs-like running back to pair with Swift, as he does a little bit of everything on the field. Through two weeks, Etienne ranked in the top five in rushing yards, and with another win in week three, he continues to rank in the top seven in the NFL in rushing yards to start the season. Always capable of putting up 1300-yard rushing seasons and close to 2000 total yards, as is the case with Achane, health has been an issue for Etienne, especially when it comes to his foot. However, if he were traded to Chicago, he wouldn't be taking on the workload he is accustomed to, which in turn would keep him fresher and make this offense more dynamic.
