2022 Season

Is David Montgomery playing his final game as a Bear in Week 18?

Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery could be playing his last game as a Bear in Week 18’s season finale against the Minnesota Vikings

Published

3 years ago

January 8, 2023

Bryan Perez

Is David Montgomery playing his final game as a Bear in Week 18? (2022 Season)

The Chicago Bears (3-13) welcome the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings to Soldier Field in Week 18 in a game that’s become more about the Bears’ 2023 NFL draft pick than anything else. A loss coupled with a Houston Texans win over the Indianapolis Colts will move Chicago into the first overall pick.

But there’s another storyline worth monitoring as the minutes tick away on the 2022 season. Sunday’s game could be the last for running back David Montgomery in a Bears uniform.

Montgomery is in the final year of his contract after being selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and there’s been no indication that a contract extension is coming before the spending spree kicks off.

With Khalil Herbert under contract for the next two seasons and flashing more playmaking upside than Montgomery, it’s expected the former Virginia Tech standout will ascend to RB1 on the Bears’ depth chart in 2023.

Montgomery’s 2022 season has been a continuation of his career to date with the Bears. He’s been solid, reliable, and at times, downright awesome. He’ll enter Sunday’s contest with 194 carries for 780 yards and five touchdowns. He’s averaging 4.0 yards per carry… again. He’s averaged that same number after 908 career carries.

Good, but certainly not great.

There’s no doubt Montgomery has been a culture guy in Chicago over the last several seasons. He runs with passion and tenacity. His style exudes an appreciation for making it to the NFL, and he doesn’t take any carry for granted. It’s a contagious approach to the game, and he’s been a big reason why the Bears have been fun to watch despite not finishing above .500 in any season during his tenure.

But the NFL is a business. And with running back being one of the easiest positions in the sport to find a quality starter in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft, giving Montgomery a pay raise of any kind seems like a poor financial decision. There’s value in Montgomery as a person and a leader. But it’s difficult to place a number on that. And with Herbert earning more reps because of his more explosive skill set, Montgomery’s role will only shrink.

The one way Montgomery could realistically come back to Chicago is if things don’t go well for him in free agency. If his market is dry, the Bears won’t hesitate to bring him back on a team-friendly one-year deal. It would be unfortunate for Montgomery, but it’s a combination of him playing an undervalued position and entering free agency in a year loaded with talent.

New York Giants star Saquon Barkley is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. So is Las Vegas Raiders’ lead back and the NFL’s leading rusher, Josh Jacobs. The Philadelphia Eagles could lose Miles Sanders in free agency, he’s more explosive than Montgomery and will have a longer list of suitors.

It’s unlikely four teams will spend big money on running backs this offseason. Barkley should cash in. Jacobs should make his money too. Sanders’ 2022 breakout season will appeal to teams. That leaves Montgomery fourth in line. He could be waiting a while for his phone to ring.

And that’s where GM Ryan Poles can strike. Montgomery may be willing to sign a one-year deal to return to the Bears and re-enter free agency in 2024 when he isn’t jockeying with the likes of Barkley or Jacobs for his big payday.

The Chicago Bears’ list of offseason needs is long, and running back isn’t one of them. Poles has to fix an offensive line that’s among the NFL’s worst. He has to add more weapons to take advantage of Justin Fields’ elite skill set. The defense needs a revamped front seven. It’s a pricey to-do list that requires as much of the team’s league-high salary-cap space as possible to accomplish. Spending any amount of it on a running back, even one as beloved as Montgomery is ill-advised.

Montgomery’s ceiling was never quite reached over the last four seasons. Whether it was former coach Matt Nagy refusing to feature him on an offense that lacked an identity, or offensive coordinator Luke Getsy preferring a running back by committee over a bell cow, Montgomery will end his 2022 campaign shy of 1,000 rushing yards for the third time in four years. He’s never had 10 rushing touchdowns in a season.

Perhaps Montgomery’s best football lies ahead. Maybe he will become a feature back for the Buffalo Bills. He could end up being an every-down back for the Carolina Panthers. Montgomery could be a target to replace Sanders if he leaves the Eagles.

One thing is certain: No matter where David Montgomery plays in 2023, he’ll have a legion of lifelong fans in Chicago.

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