The Chicago Bears reportedly have a new running back.
D’Andre Swift plans to sign a deal with the Bears once free agency officially begins on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Swift played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 following a three-year run with the Detroit Lions.
D’Andre Swift Contract Details with Bears
Chicago reportedly will pay Swift $24 million over three years, including $15.3 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Additional details on the contract, including potential incentives, were unknown at the time of this writing.
Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Swift’s contract is $16.5 million over the first two years, good for $8.25 million per campaign.
D'Andre Swift gets $16.5M in first two years — an average of $8.25M over 2. https://t.co/d8OoiEn3cV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Is it smart to pay a running back that much money in today’s free agency? Some would say it isn’t.
However, Swift is an ascending talent, and the running back market has become so depressed that you could argue overpaying now results in decent value. Devoting $15.3 million in guaranteed salary to a borderline top-10 running back represents solid value for the Bears.
Is Swift a Good Fit in Chicago?
Swift, 25, should provide an immediate boost to the Bears’ backfield.
The 2020 second-round pick enjoyed a career-best season in 2023, racking up 1,049 yards and five touchdowns on the ground while adding 39 catches for 214 yards and one TD in the passing game. He’s the kind of dual-threat back who can make life easier for whichever quarterback is under center in Chicago.
Additionally, it’s fair to wonder what this contract could mean for Khalil Herbert. The 25-year-old enjoyed a solid season in 2023 — 611 rushing yards and 134 receiving yards in 12 games — but seemingly could be a roster-cut candidate. Herbert has one year left on his current contract.
D’Andre Swift Fantasy Football Impact
From Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe:
The signing of Swift in Chicago makes for a confusing backfield, with Herbert and Roschon Johnson both still under contract. It seems likely that Swift will be the lead back, but Johnson, at the very least, should still be involved. Chicago could also choose to use Herbert as a short-yardage back, which would really make a mess of this backfield for fantasy.
The cleanest outcome for fantasy would be if Herbert is either traded or released. In that case, Swift would be a top-20 RB for fantasy next year, with Johnson a potential deep-league Flex option.
KEEP READING: Top Free Agent Running Backs 2024
However, if Herbert remains in Chicago, we could see Swift fall closer to the RB3 region if the Bears use a committee approach with Swift, Herbert, and Johnson all involved.
Arguably, this was one of the worst-case outcomes for fantasy managers when it comes to Swift’s fantasy value.
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