The Chicago Bears’ backfield, one of the most talked-about units entering training camp, just took a massive hit: Kyle Monangai is now considered week-to-week after hyperextending his right knee during practice Sunday. This isn’t just some camp bump, folks. This changes the vibe behind D’Andre Swift and puts a serious question mark over Chicago’s Sept. 13 opener against the Carolina Panthers.
The Sophomore Surprise Who Became Indispensable
Nobody saw Monangai’s rookie season coming. When the Bears snagged him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, expectations were, let’s just say, modest. But the dude absolutely balled out as a rookie, racking up 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns, totally blowing past what anyone expected. He wasn’t just a ground threat either, hauling in 18 catches for 164 yards and playing in all 17 games. Coach Ben Johnson even relied on him as a physical option who could just power through contact and handle a serious workload. He let Chicago run a true backfield rotation, not just lean on one guy. Losing Monangai for any regular season game? That’s a huge blow to the Bears, forcing more pressure onto Swift, who still ran for over 1,000 yards last season and is the probable starter, and the rest of the depth chart. Monangai’s power game perfectly complemented Swift’s explosive playmaking. Now what?
Depth Chart Gets A Gut Check Before Week 1
So, who steps up? Chicago has a little over three weeks to figure out if their leading rusher from last season will be ready to go. With Monangai sidelined, even if it’s not season-ending, the preseason suddenly has way more riding on it. Guys like Roschon Johnson are gonna get a ton more reps, no doubt. Salvon Ahmed already strengthened his case with a sick 39-yard touchdown reception against Cleveland, and Brittain Brown caught a TD in the preseason opener, too. The offense actually looked pretty good against the Browns, scoring 34 unanswered points and putting up 430 total yards, proving they have depth. But replacing a player like Monangai, especially his unique style, over an extended period? That’s a whole different challenge.
The good news, if you can call it that, is Coach Johnson didn’t say it was season-ending. Monangai still has time to heal before the games start counting. But the uncertainty is killing me. The Bears know exactly what they get from Monangai when he’s healthy. Now, they’ve got to brace themselves for the possibility that one of last season’s biggest surprises won’t be there when they kick off on September 13. They need to figure this out, fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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