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With D’Onta Foreman headed to free agency, the Chicago Bears will be looking for another running back to fill out the room alongside Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson.
Former Wisconsin Badgers playmaker Braelon Allen would be an ideal addition, and Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report named Chicago as a top landing spot for the talented back.
“A massive man who runs with nasty intentions, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen will quickly become a fan favorite wherever he lands next spring,” Fowler wrote on December 30. “Recruited out of high school as a linebacker, the 6’2″, 245-pound ball-carrier combines a throwback type of frame with a modern athletic profile to make defenders miss in space.”
What Would Bears Be Getting in Former Badgers RB Braelon Allen?
Allen, 19, has already declared for the 2024 draft in a November 28 announcement on social media. He is slated to be one of the youngest players in it. His age shouldn’t be a concern, however.
The ex-Badgers back had 181 carries for 982 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns this season. While those aren’t shabby stats, he performed even better over his first two years with Wisconsin.
The young RB broke out at the age of 17, when he rushed for 1,286 yards and 12 touchdowns (6.8 yards per carry) his first year with the Badgers in 2021. He followed it up by rushing for 1,242 yards and 11 TDs as a sophomore (5.4 yards per carry) in 2022.
Allen is young, but he has repeatedly showcased big-play ability, rushing for over 10 yards 24 times in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had 22 rushes of 10+ yards in 2022 and 31 in 2021. His 96-yard TD run against Illinois in September of 2022 set a new record for the longest rush in Badgers’ history.
Fowler described Allen as “a downhill runner who’s best when attacking creases on inside zone runs,” and noted that “a team in need of a physical, youthful running back will have Allen high on its positional board.”
The Bears have a back that meets that description in Johnson, but they’ll need to replace Foreman, who has 425 yards and four scores on the ground this season. Allen would be an excellent and affordable option.
Bears Could Use a Few More Playmakers on Offensive Side of the Ball
Whether Chicago elects to stick with quarterback Justin Fields or draft a new franchise quarterback entirely, the team could use a few more threats on the offensive side of the ball.
Adding more talent at receiver will be necessary (as is a new center, although that’s another story entirely), but think about a backfield with Herbert’s speed, Johnson’s physicality and Allen’s explosiveness. That would really be something.
CBS Sports has Allen as the top RB set to enter the 2024 draft. Whether he’ll be selected in the first round is something draft analysts are still debating. If he falls into Round 2 or possibly Round 3, the Bears could make a move.
A native of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Allen is no stranger to cold weather games, so the frigid Chicago weather wouldn’t bother him at all. It also wouldn’t be an out of character move for Chicago to draft a RB.
The Bears have selected a running back at some point in four out of the last five drafts, so it’s entirely possibly they’ll add another one. Will it be Allen? We’ll know in just over four more months.
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