Chicago Bears training camp news: RB D’Andre Swift going to be ‘so valuable’ for Bears’ passing attack

LAKE FOREST – The pass from quarterback Brett Rypien was much too high. Even so, D’Andre Swift‘s massive paw came out of nowhere and snatched it out of the air for an impressive one-handed catch.

The Chicago Bears running back had room to run on a screen pass with a handful of blockers ahead of him. It was an electric moment during training camp Wednesday at Halas Hall.

Bears running backs coach Chad Morton wasn’t even surprised.

“There’s nothing he can do that surprises me,” Morton told Shaw Local. “I know that he can do that. It’s just another day for him.”

For Swift, it wasn’t even his first one-handed grab of training camp. The 25-year-old veteran back has made one-handed grabs look easy. He has done it in heavy traffic, too. He has made tough grabs working with starting quarterback Caleb Williams, backup Tyson Bagent or even with the third-stringer Rypien.

Simply put, Swift looks like an immediate upgrade for the Bears from a pass-catching standpoint. The Bears’ offense had little production from the running backs in the passing game last season. Roschon Johnson’s 209 receiving yards led all backs.

Swift figures to be more involved.

“We already know he can run the ball,” Morton said of Swift. “But it opens up all the screen games. We can put him as a receiver, have him run option routes out there, jet sweeps or even a decoy. There’s so many things that are available for him. All the empty [backfield] stuff that we do for him. He’s just going to be so valuable.”

Swift has 195 career receptions in four NFL seasons. He has caught at least 39 passes every season. His lone season in Philadelphia last year marked his lowest receiving total (39 catches for 214 yards), but he was also playing with a QB in Jalen Hurts who liked to keep the ball and run.

Williams, the No. 1 overall draft pick, seems very willing to check down to his running back when nothing’s open down field.

“I feel like that’s part of my game I can do,” Swift said. “So, it was good to kind of do a little scramble drill, get free, and he sees that I’m going to be available in that situation.”

Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus made Swift a priority when free agency began in March. The Bears essentially signed Swift, for three years and $24.5 million, within 30 minutes.

The Bears knew they needed an upgrade at running back and they were willing to spend money to do it. As HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” showed, other teams valued Swift’s abilities too.

On the series, which documented behind-the-scenes personnel decisions the Giants made over the offseason, Giants director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti offered up Swift as a potential replacement for star back Saquon Barkley.

“This guy, from a physical talent standpoint, can make up some of the things you lose with Saquon, from an explosiveness standpoint, from a pass game standpoint,” Rossetti said on “Hard Knocks.”

The Giants front office even speculated that Swift would make more money than Barkley in free agency because he was two years younger [that didn’t wind up happening].

Yes, the Bears paid a premium for Swift, but he’s clearly going to make an immediate impact for the rookie quarterback. Wednesday’s one-handed catch was another example.

“He knows where to be at the right time, knows spacing very well,” Morton said. “Lot of guys, they can’t read zone very well and get too close to the defender. He just understands spacing. He’s just a smart kid. He works his butt off, too.”

He knows where to be at the right time, knows spacing very well. Lot of guys, they can’t read zone very well and get too close to the defender. He just understands spacing. He’s just a smart kid. He works his butt off too.”

—  Chad Morton, Bears running backs coach

Injury updates

During practice Wednesday at Halas Hall, Bears right tackle Darnell Wright and cornerback Terell Smith both appeared to exit practice early due to injuries. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings is working his way back into practice after missing several days.

Additionally, cornerback Kyler Gordon, safety Jaquan Brisker, running back Roschon Johnson, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, linebacker Noah Sewell, defensive end Jacob Martin, offensive lineman Bill Murray, lineman Theo Benedet, right guard Nate Davis and defensive end Montez Sweat all sat out practice.

Walker’s sack

On third-and-long during a two-minute drill, Bears defensive end DeMarcus Walker blasted through the offensive line and easily sacked quarterback Williams. Walker, one of the more vocal players on the roster, was sure to let his offensive teammates know about it. He yanked off his helmet and threw it on the ground, yelling toward the offense in celebration.

The offense found itself in that situation after an intentional grounding penalty against Williams on second down led to a third-and-16 situation. Then Walker ended things quickly on third down.