Montgomery Gets One Final Turn as Bears' Lead Back Against Eagles

David Montgomery needed only two games to establish himself as the Chicago Bears' lead running back. This Sunday against the Eagles may be the last time he holds that role.

The Bears moved up in the third round of the 2019 draft to select Montgomery with the No. 73 pick, even though Mike Davis and Tarik Cohen were already on the roster. Then-general manager Ryan Pace said at the time, "We envision a scenario where they're all contributing in different areas."

The plan shifted quickly. Montgomery carried the ball six times in the 2019 opener, a home loss to Green Bay, with Davis's five rushes the only other carries by a running back. A week later in a win at Denver, Montgomery took 18 handoffs while the other backs combined for seven. Less than two months after that, Chicago cut Davis, and Cohen averaged just four carries a game that season.

From 2019 through 2021, only five players in the league had more carries than Montgomery: Derrick Henry of the Titans, Dalvin Cook of the Vikings, Ezekiel Elliott of the Cowboys, Josh Jacobs of the Raiders and Nick Chubb of the Browns. Those five have 12 Pro Bowl selections between them. Montgomery has none.

This season the Bears began rotating Montgomery with second-year back Khalil Herbert, who was the more productive half of the pairing before injuring his hip. Herbert still leads all NFL running backs at six yards per carry, while quarterback Justin Fields tops all rushers at 7.1. Herbert hurt himself returning a kick late in the loss to the Lions. At that point Montgomery was averaging 12.8 carries per game; in the three games Herbert has missed, he has averaged 15.

Herbert is expected to come off injured reserve next week after missing four games, so Sunday is Montgomery's last guaranteed outing as the primary back. His contract expires at season's end, making it a final showcase for teams that might pursue him in free agency. The Bears will also be without receivers Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, leaving Fields with fewer dependable targets.

Coach Matt Eberflus praised Montgomery's work ethic. "He really is a worker," Eberflus said Friday. "He's strong — strong-minded and strong physically. He's willing and able to do that." Montgomery sat out Thursday's practice with an illness but was a full participant Friday. "Didn't miss a beat," Eberflus said.

The matchup is difficult. Pro Football Focus rates Philadelphia's pass defense the league's best and its run defense 11th. Chicago is likely to stay on the ground, and in Montgomery's hands, to avoid obvious passing situations. He will need to improve on a modest season: although the Bears have the NFL's top rushing offense, his four yards per carry rank 37th in the league.

His market value appears to have slipped. Before the season, Spotrac.com projected Montgomery would command roughly $13 million a year over four years on the open market. That estimate has fallen to an average annual value of $9.7 million over three years. Montgomery has said all year that he is not worried about his next contract. With plenty of money available, the Bears could bring him back to share carries with Herbert, but the days of Montgomery having the position to himself will end after Sunday.