The running back market is moving, and D’Andre Swift is the first domino to fall.
Swift is joining the Bears after a career year with the Eagles during which he rushed for more than 1,000 yards and earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
A second-round pick of the Lions in 2020, Swift emerged as a big-play threat in Detroit but never quite gained the faith of coach Dan Campbell. He became expendable when the Lions signed David Montgomery and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs, and Detroit sent Swift to the Eagles in an NFL Draft deal last April.
Here are the details on Swift’s contract with the Bears and where he falls on their depth chart.
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D’Andre Swift contract details
Swift agreed to a three-year, $24.5 million contract with the Bears, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal contains $15.3 million in guarantees and makes him the ninth-highest-paid running back in the NFL in terms of average annual value (AAV).
The 25-year-old back is coming off the best season of his career, but running backs have had a tough time generating interest in recent offseasons. With Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, and Tony Pollard also hitting the open market this offseason, there was no guarantee every major free-agent running back would get the deal for which they were looking.
Swift found a new home relatively quickly, leaving Philadelphia for Chicago and a chance to become their feature back in 2024.
Swift’s pass-catching ability also figures to be a major factor in 2024 and beyond. While he wasn’t as impactful as a receiver during his time with the Eagles, Swift had more than 45 receptions in each of his three seasons with the Lions and proved he’s two-dimensional as a running back.
D’Andre Swift stats
| Season | Team | Games | Yards | Y/A | Catches | Receiving yards | Rec TD |
| 2020 | Lions | 13 | 521 | 4.6 | 46 | 357 | 2 |
| 2021 | Lions | 13 | 617 | 4.1 | 62 | 452 | 2 |
| 2022 | Lions | 14 | 542 | 5.5 | 48 | 389 | 3 |
| 2023 | Eagles | 16 | 1,049 | 4.6 | 39 | 214 | 1 |
| Total | 56 | 2,729 | 4.6 | 195 | 1,412 | 8 |
Swift rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the first time in his career last season, though he has two seasons of at least 1,000 scrimmage yards thanks to his impact as a pass-catcher.
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Bears depth chart
Below is a look at the Bears’ projected depth chart for 2024 with Swift joining the backfield.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | D’Andre Swift |
| 2 | Khalil Herbert |
| 3 | Roschon Johnson |
| 4 | Travis Homer |
Swift figures to be Chicago’s lead back given what they’re paying him. He proved he could handle a full workload last year, racking up 1,049 yards on 229 carries, so he will likely be the primary ballcarrier for the Bears.
Behind him, both Herbert and Johnson showed flashes, with Herbert producing 611 rushing yards — most among Chicago running backs last season — and Johnson recording 34 catches for 209 yards in limited action. They will battle for snaps behind Swift while Homer, a special teams ace, occupies the fourth-string role.
Signing Swift also makes it unlikely that free agent D’Onta Foreman will return to Chicago. Foreman tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns last season with four.
D’Andre Swift fantasy outlook 2024
“If only Swift could stay healthy…” was the lament of fantasy owners for three years. Well, Swift stayed healthy in 2023, and he posted an RB23 season in half-PPR leagues. His receptions — and short TD opportunities — were cut down in Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts-centric offense, but he could see more of the former in Chicago. That said, he will face real competition for carries and likely be deployed as part of a committee in Shane Waldron’s pass-heavy system. While OC at Seattle, the Seahawks finished in the bottom 12 in rushing attempts each of the past three years, including posting the third-fewest last season.
That might actually play to Swift’s strengths as a pass-catcher, as Kenneth Walker (29) and Zach Charbonnet (33) hauled in 62 passes last year, but Swift will need optimal health and some touchdown luck to be anything more than a flex in half-PPR and a borderline RB2 in full PPR next season. — Matt Lutovsky
