Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune has 10 thoughts after the Bears preseason game against the Browns. At one point he addresses the competition for the thirrd running back position:
An interesting option is Salvon Ahmed, a 27-year-old who played previously for Studesville in Miami and missed all last season after suffering an ankle injury on a hip-drop tackle in an Indianapolis Colts practice.
Ahmed got two carries — one for 15 yards and another for 2 — and caught three passes for 55 yards, scooting 49 yards for a touchdown on a screen from Case Keenum at the start of the third quarter.
“We feel good about those top two backs right now and where they’re at,” Ben Johnson said. “So, the battle for three, four, five, whatever that looks like, a lot comes down to special teams. A lot comes down to how do you separate yourself from those top two guys? What’s your skill set? How’s it different?
“(Ahmed) has got that slashing mentality where he’s hard to bring down in space, and that showed up again today. Showed up in practice really throughout camp so far. We’ll continue to challenge him to find a defined role there on special teams where he can help us out the most there. And then pass protection, how do we continue to improve? When you’re a little bit smaller as a running back, that’s always what I’m looking for. How well, how stout are we holding up to a blitzing linebacker?”
At 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, Ahmed has a good feel for a lot of the outside-zone concepts because they mirror what he did with the Dolphins. The third running back is usually a main cog on special teams. Ahmed got 38 snaps on special teams for the Dolphins in 2022 and 70 in 2023. Conversely, Roschon Johnson has logged 386 snaps on special teams over the previous three seasons.
Ahmed might give the Bears a little more juice on offense, as he showed while sprinting to the end zone, but if the top two backs are healthy and rolling, is Roschon Johnson a better fit in the overall picture when it comes to the 53-man roster?
It’s one of the questions the team needs to sort through in the coming weeks. They have to challenge Ahmed and see what he can do on special teams. With some good fortune, the offense won’t have to lean on the third back to carry a significant load during the regular season.
That was a long quite but there’s a lot in it to unpack. I’m really glad that Biggs brought Ahmed up. I was hearing alot about his performances in camp and I was looking forward to seeing him. And I wasn’t diasppointed. Like many of the teams’ fans I’m sure, he cuaght my eye during the game, epsecially when you contrasted him with Johnson, who had a pedestrian performance.
First, I’ll get back to the screen play in another post but its worth noting that one of Ahmed’s particular skills is pass catching. When he was with the Dolphins he was often prasied for his speed and route running ability. That’s going to be important to Ben Johnson, espcially if Ahmed is significantly better at it than D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
Second, it probably isn’t a coincidence that Ben Johnson brought up pass protection. Ahmed’s lack of size can be a disadvantage when matching up against blitzing linebackers. In the past, coaches have consistently noted that he needs to improve his effort and stoutness in pass protection and he’s had a hard time in the past earning significant playing time on third downs.
But its those special teams stats that BIggs cited are really going to hurt Ahmed. With his speed, you would think that earning time no special teams should be sonething he could do, But there’s a reason that he hasn’t played more in that phase in the past. He needs to imporve in that area.
As impressed with Ahmed as I was with what I saw, I’m definitely pumping the brakes on him. He might be destined for the practice squad with Johnson sticking in the third running back spot for his special teams play. This would allow them to bring Ahmed back onto the 53 man roster if there is a rash of injuries and the services of a dynamic back on the offense are required.