The Chicago Bears have sparked speculation about a potential move at running back after placing one of their veterans on the short-term injured reserve list and keeping just three backs on their initial active roster for the 2025 season.
During Tuesday’s 53-man roster cutdown, the Bears placed veteran running back Travis Homer on injured reserve and designated him for return, meaning that he will miss the first four games of the regular season but can return to the roster as soon as Week 5.
What stands out most about the move with Homer, though, is that the Bears did not use one of their running backs on the roster bubble to address their newfound depth issues.
Rather than keep Ian Wheeler or Brittain Brown to give themselves four running backs, the Bears chose instead to carry just three on their initial active roster between veteran starter D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and rookie seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai.
That’s not much depth, especially considering Johnson and Monangai are still working back from injuries that have held them out for a few weeks and are not yet practicing. Even if both are healthy in time for Week 1, the depth situation would remain tenuous.
Could that suggest the Bears are looking to make another move at running back?
Bears Could Attempt to Claim RB Talent Off Waivers
The Bears are unlikely to make a major move at running back at this stage, but they will have some opportunities to acquire quality depth off waivers following the cutdown.
Audric Estime, a former fifth-round pick, could be an option after the Denver Broncos left him off their initial roster. The 5-foot-11, 227-pound power back averaged 4.1 yards per carry in limited action last season and could bring more pop to Chicago’s offense.
The Seattle Seahawks also waived seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez, if the Bears are interested in another Monangai-esque development project for their backfield. He did not play much in the preseason, but he had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in his final two seasons of college ball — doing so at Oregon State (2023) and Miami (2024).
Alternatively, the Bears could sign a veteran free agent to the mix. Cam Akers, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Clyde Edwards-Helaire all rejoined the market following roster cuts. Jamaal Williams is also still available after visiting with the Bears a few weeks ago.
Bears ‘Feel Good’ About Return Timelines for RBs
While the Bears might seek out a fourth running back for their roster in the coming days, the team remains optimistic about Johnson’s and Monangai’s return timelines.
Johnson has not practiced since August 7 due to a foot injury. Meanwhile, Monangai missed the final two preseason games with an unknown injury, costing him valuable snaps to demonstrate his command of the offense heading into his first NFL season.
“I feel good about their timelines,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said Tuesday. “Kyle’s coming along. Like I said, over the next few days, you’ll probably see the practice field look a little bit different. So I’ve got a lot of faith [that] those guys will be ready to go. And if they’re not, we’ll still look out and see if there are guys there that can help us. And like I said, with Ben’s creativity, who knows who will be back there.”
The Bears will play their first game of the 2025 season when they host the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field for Monday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET on September 8.
Bears Spark Speculation of Move After Placing RB on Injury List