There’s no more patiently easing into the role of being the Bears’ workhorse running back for David Montgomery. His supporting cast in the backfield has been trimmed to converted wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and former practice squad players Artavis Pierce and Ryan Nall.
It’s time to carry the load, which is something the Bears believed he could do when they spent their top draft pick — a third-rounder — on him in 2019.
“David, I think, is only going to continue to keep getting better and possibly [get] more carries,” coach Matt Nagy said.
One of Nagy’s goals for the running game was to diversify it, but he’ll have to revert to a more streamlined attack with Tarik Cohen out for the season.
Montgomery got 60% of the running back carries over the first three games, down from 72% last season. His share will likely jump to somewhere around 80% against the Colts on Sunday.
For comparison, NFL leading rusher Derrick Henry has gotten 92% of the Titans’ running back carries, and several other top backs are bearing 80% or more of the load.
While the Bears want Montgomery to develop as a receiver, too, he’s not going to replace Cohen in that facet. He caught 25 passes last season and six in this one, compared to 85 receptions by Cohen in the same span.
“I’m not really here to fill a void,” said Montgomery, who averaged fewer than two catches per game in his college career. “I’m just here to come in and just play what I need to play and go out and do me and bring whatever I can to the table.”
The Bears will also add former Pro Bowl running back Lamar Miller to their practice, a source said, and give him a chance to compete against Pierce and Nall for a spot on the roster. Miller, 29, has two 1,000-yard seasons and ran for 973 in 2018 before missing all of last season with a torn ACL.
The Colts have the best run defense the Bears will have faced. They allow 93.3 yards per game (fourth in the NFL) and 4 per carry (10th).
