What Do the Bears Really Think of Their Running Back Situation?

Hub Arkush at chicagofootball.com answers your questions:

“From @Blackhawks1963: What do [Ryan] Pace and [John] Fox REALLY think of their current running back assortment?”

“[Jeremy] Langford showed enough as a rookie to believe they have something to develop there, but he still averaged a half yard less per carry than Matt Forte did on a like number of carries, in the same offense and behind the same O-line. He is still a prospect they found in the fourth round.

“[Ka’Deem] Carey is a situational back at best, possibly their short-yardage and between-the-tackles guy, but he’s a liability in the passing game and dangerous in pass protection. Carey appears to be a No. 3 at best.

“Their alleged move on [C.J.] Anderson suggests they’d agree with that breakdown.”

I don’t think they would.

Arkush characterizes Carey as a “situational” back but that’s not how they used him. He and Langford and Forte were used in all situations for whole series up and down the field.

The truth of the matter is that it was Carey’s development in pass protection and, in particular, on special teams that made Forte available. They couldn’t put a back up running back who didn’t play special teams onto the field. Once he showed that he could perform there, Forte’s fate was sealed.

The Bears obviously believe that a team of Langford, Carey and Jacquizz Rogers is adequate. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be improved and if the right guy comes along, either in free agency or the draft, they’re going to try to try to create competition there.