Getty Former Atlanta Falcons RB Devonta Freeman.
Former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman is looking for a new team after being released in March. Atlanta released him, along with a few other players including promising tight end Austin Hooper, in order to save some cap space. Freeman still had three years and $21 million remaining on his contract, but that’s no longer valid, and he’ll likely be willing to negotiate now that he’s looking for a new place to play. Would the Chicago Bears be a good team to negotiate with?
The Bears did not run the ball well last season — that’s an understatement. Chicago averaged 91.1 yards a game and 3.7 yards per attempt. They scored just eight rushing touchdowns all year, which was 28th in the NFL, and they had just five games where they broke 100 yards as a unit. That needs to change, and Bears head coach Matt Nagy seems to know that now, after a 2019 season that left many frustrated with the lack of running plays he incorporated.
Would Chicago Be Good Landing Spot for Freeman?
Nagy has been almost defiant in the past when being criticized by the press about his play-calling, and at times, he has refused to listen to ideas suggesting he incorporate some changes. But in some of his more recent encounters with the press, he noted the team may be scaling back a bit on offense and he seemed to suggest they were working on changing the things that didn’t work last season.
“The nice part of the offseason is when you are able to go through your scheme evaluation as a staff and you go through the whys, and at the same time you realize OK, here’s some certain areas where we can get better,” Nagy said. It’s unlikely Nagy and company want to spend a ton of money on a running back, but if Freeman were willing to negotiate a cheap, one-year team-friendly deal, he could really give the Bears’ offense a boost. He’s a risk, but he could be one worth taking. He turned 28 in March, and he will likely be motivated to show he can still play.
Freeman has played six seasons in the league, all with the Falcons, and he was one of the scarier dual-threat backs in the game until he had a few seasons set back by injuries. He suffered a concussion and battled a knee injury in 2017, missing two games and time in the postseason, and the following year, Freeman played in just two games and underwent season-ending core muscle surgery. He stayed relatively healthy in 2019, but saw his production drastically dip.
He started 14 games for the Falcons last year, carrying the ball 184 times for 656 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 3.6 yards a carry, which was a career low. Freeman also caught 59 passes for 410 yards and four touchdowns in his down year last year, however, and he remains a legitimate threat in the passing game as well as the running game.
Take Tarik Cohen Out of the Equation…Sort Of
GettyChicago Bears Running Back Tarik Cohen is a dynamic player. But is he the best running back? (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Imagine a running backs room that featured the one-two punch of David Montgomery and Devonta Freeman. Chicago needed to address their offensive line after last season, as well, and while they didn’t do it by drafting a bruiser in the second round, they still acquired free agent Germain Ifedi from Seattle, and they snagged a few o-linemen in the seventh round. They also have a new offensive line coach in Juan Castillo, so the Bears could look a bit different on the line next season.
But they also need to make their running backs room better personnel-wise, and they haven’t done that yet. Adding Freeman would give their offense a formidable upgrade — as long as he’s healthy, which he seems to be. So where does this leave Tarik Cohen?
At 5’6″, Tarik Cohen is better used in the receiving game and in gadget plays than he is as an every-down back. Last year, Cohen carried the ball 64 times for 213 yards and zero rushing touchdowns, and he averaged a paltry 3.3 yards per carry, all of which were career lows. He is far better in the return game and catching passes — which is how Nagy should primarily use him moving forward. Nagy could still incorporate him into the running game in certain situations while moving to the scarier-for-defenses duo of Montgomery and Freeman.
It would be a surprise move if they made it, but the Bears have over $9 million in cap space according to Over the Cap, so it’s entirely possible.
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