As a sixth-round pick in 2021, Bears running back Khalil Herbert played 65 snaps over three preseason games.
This year, he has played seven — all next to quarterback Justin Fields and behind the first-string offensive line. He spent Saturday night on the sideline in street clothes alongside almost every other relevant player.
This year has been more fun, right?
“Nah, because playing is fun,” Herbert said after a light practice Monday at Halas Hall. “Regardless of preseason, regular game — there’s nothing that recreates that feeling.”
It’s a good problem for Herbert to have. The Bears will have a three-man running-back platoon this season — “Everybody has their certain sauce they put on things or you can mix ’em all together,” Herbert said — but only Herbert has been treated like the starter.
D’Onta Foreman? He entered Game 1 in the second quarter. Not only did he play Saturday, but his snaps were married to that of second-string quarterback P.J. Walker.
Rookie Roschon Johnson has done the rest of the relevant work. Only six NFL players who have appeared in two games — the Jets and Browns have played three — have carried the ball more than Johnson (19).
The Bears are intrigued by Johnson’s bruising running style. They’ve yet to team him with Fields during game action, though, and with good reason — one missed block, and Johnson could put the franchise at risk. The Bears are working with him to transfer his physicality to pass-blocking.
“We’ve just got to continue to get him to feel comfortable with everything that we’re doing,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said this month. “And if we can do that, I think he’s someone that can help us.”
Herbert already can. He’s coming off one of the most dynamic rushing seasons in a generation.
He averaged 5.7 yards per carry last season, the most by any NFL running back with 125 or more carries. Only four such rushers since 2010 have done better during a season: the Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles in 2010, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson in 2012, the Bills’ C.J. Spiller in 2012 and the Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins in 2020.
Charles was a first-team All-Pro that year, Spiller a Pro Bowl player. Peterson’s season, in which he had 2,097 rushing yards, was the second-best in the history of the sport.
Herbert probably won’t turn into a Hall of Famer with a simple uptick in volume. But if he can stay dynamic while playing more — say, 48% of the time instead of the 38% he played last year — he can make the Pro Bowl.
Platooning running backs is becoming commonplace. Bell cows are available: The Colts gave running back Jonathan Taylor — who led the league in carries and yards two years ago — permission to seek a trade Monday.
The Bears have $28.3 million in salary-cap room and the Panthers’ draft capital, and coach Matt Eberflus knows Taylor from their days together in Indianapolis. Taylor, who is in a contract spat with a year left on his deal, won’t join a new team without a deal, though.
No team has traded a first-round pick for a running back in 10 years. Dealing even a second-round pick for the privilege of writing a check for at least $10 million per year over the next four years would run counter to league trends. Only five running backs in the NFL average more than $7 million per deal annually on multiyear contracts.
Besides, platooning has been Getsy’s formula. In his last two seasons in Green Bay, his lead running back played 51% of the snaps. The backup played 40% and 42%. In his lone season as Bears offensive coordinator, Getsy had David Montgomery play 61% of the time and Herbert 29%.
This year, Herbert could be the lead back. He’s already being treated like one.
