Bears 2026 training camp preview: Running backs

Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest this month.

Rookies and quarterbacks are set to report to Halas Hall on July 25 with veterans following on July 28. But before that, we’re unveiling our Bears 2026 training camp position previews, where we’re breaking down every player by position and examining the biggest question facing the group.

After looking at the quarterbacks, the next position of focus is running back, which features a dynamic duo. Veteran D’Andre Swift is the starter on paper, and he is coming off his best season as a pro. He’s sharing the backfield with second-year bruiser Kyle Monangai, who burst onto the scene as a seventh-round pick last season. Behind them are Roschon Johnson and Brittain Brown, two backs who saw minimal carries in 2025, while Salvon Ahmed and Coleman Bennett will hope to have a strong camp to turn some heads. Let’s take a look at the Bears’ running backs heading into training camp:

D’Andre Swift went from a possible cut candidate during the offseason and a liability to start the season to one of the most important players by year’s end. The veteran back was thought of as someone head coach Ben Johnson didn’t want on his team when he came aboard, while fans bemoaned his healthy status when he was cleared to play against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. Swift got the last laugh, though. With the new running scheme in place while playing behind a revamped offensive line, Swift set career highs in rushing yards (1,087), rushing touchdowns (9), and first downs (62) in a season, all while averaging 4.9 yards per carry with a manageable workload. The stats are one thing, but the eye test is another. Swift looked noticeably more confident in hitting the holes and played with a physicality that was absent in 2024. The three-year, $24 million deal he signed two years ago suddenly looks like a bargain with how he performed, and there’s no reason to believe he slows down in 2026.

The Bears needed a complementary back to Swift in the worst way last offseason, and they landed on seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers. In a draft that was rich with running backs, winding up with Monangai seemed like a disappointment. Turns out it was a blessing. Monangai had to bide his time behind Swift before getting more opportunities during the middle of the season, and he didn’t disappoint. While he finally got going in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints, his coming-out party took place in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. That’s when Monangai ran for 176 yards on 26 carries while filling in for an injured Swift. From there, Monangai became RB1B as he and Swift rotated to stay fresh and establish a dominating ground attack that was one of the best in the league. He and Swift each eclipsed 100+ yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, and he was a critical component of the offense’s success with his punishing running style. Monangai finished the year with 783 yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Roschon Johnson entered the 2025 season as the team’s short-yardage back after he took over that role in 2024. But a training camp injury limited his practice reps, and he was passed over by Monangai, becoming a special teams contributor. Johnson saw just two carries for 17 yards all season while playing in seven games. He wasn’t much of a factor last year and is someone squarely on the roster bubble heading into a contract year.

After suffering multiple injuries at the running back position last summer, the Bears brought in Brittain Brown to fill the void. He left a strong impression during the preseason and was signed to the practice squad when rosters were finalized. Brown got his time to shine in Week 9 against the Bengals, rushing five times for 37 yards and a touchdown. While he only appeared in three games all year, Brown’s spark has fans believing he can be a serviceable RB3. He’ll have the chance to prove that with a full offseason in Chicago under his belt.

The Bears brought in Salvon Ahmed on a one-year deal back in March in an attempt to revitalize his career. Ahmed broke into the league with the Miami Dolphins in 2020, when he rushed for 389 yards and three touchdowns, but has done little since then. He last played an NFL down during the 2023 season and is coming off a severe leg injury he suffered last training camp with the Indianapolis Colts. The Bears’ running back coach Eric Studesville knows Ahmed well from their days in Miami. He knows what Ahmed can do on the field, and hopefully he can bounce back from his injury with a strong camp.

Coleman Bennett signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent out of Kennesaw State. Bennett totaled 764 yards and four touchdowns during his lone season as an Owl. He has been described as running with an “aggressive demeanor” according to Dave Kluge of The Football Guys. Normally, undrafted running backs wouldn’t garner much attention, but Bennett has a chance to snatch a roster spot with thin competition. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him earn the RB3 spot behind Swift and Monangai when rosters are finalized.

Despite his lackluster 2024 campaign, there were no questions regarding Swift’s status as the starting running back when training camp rolled around. So it’s funny that after a career year where Swift shined that there would be some chatter that he could get out-carried by Monangai in 2026. And that’s not an indictment on Swift, but rather a confirmation that the Bears have two excellent backs to use.

Entering the season, Swift still has a stranglehold on the job, but this backfield will be a committee where Johnson will ride with the hot hand. If Monangai gets off to a strong start, don’t be surprised to see him take the majority of the snaps over Swift and vice versa. Monangai looks to be more of the traditional power back, whereas Swift can be a change-of-pace player, but the former needs to show he can handle a full workload still after fading down the stretch in 2025. It’s anyone’s guess as to which running back will finish with more yards at this point, making it one of the more exciting question marks going into the season.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2026 training camp preview: Running backs