Monangai's knee leaves the Bears with one running back who matters

Kyle Monangai's knee injury, which came during the same August 16 practice that brought Ozzy Trapilo back from the PUP list, has effectively reduced Chicago's backfield to D'Andre Swift and a pair of names with no established production behind him. The depth chart lists Coleman Bennett and Salvon Ahmed as the options behind Swift — neither logged meaningful carries in 2025.

The timing is worth noting. Monangai was not a star, but he was real: 846 rushing yards and five touchdowns last season across 19 games, a genuine second option who gave the Bears something to work with when Swift needed rest or the game situation called for a change of pace. That kind of quiet reliability is exactly what you miss when it's gone. The roster analysis already flagged the running back room as thin heading into camp — no viable depth behind Swift was the finding even before Monangai went down.

This is the third offensive depth hit in about two weeks, following Burden's groin and the ongoing uncertainty around his preseason availability. The Bears have enough at the top — Swift at 1,217 yards and 10 touchdowns last year is a legitimate feature back — but this team won 11 games in 2025 by executing in close situations, and that kind of football punishes you when the margin shrinks. Swift staying healthy is no longer just preferable. It's load-bearing.