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"I expect the Bears to hit the ground running & handle business" | Fox Chicago Sports
Devan Kaney is joined by The BIGS’ Herb Howard at Halas Hall to recap today’s Bears practice. Why does Herb believe the Bears will hit the ground running to start the season and handle business? Also, what challenges will the Bears have opening their season on the road? Plus, Herb gives his Bears season prediction, Bears MVP prediction and which players have the most to prove this season.
D'Andre Swift had arguably the best training camp of any Chicago Bears player.
Now, the team is rewarding him for it.
The Bears reached an agreement on a contract extension with Swift Friday, his agent confirmed to Fox Chicago.
What we know:
Swift earned a contract extension after he had a career-high season in 2025.
According to ESPN, the Bears are rewarding Swift with a three-year, $33.75 million extension that includes $27.5 million guaranteed and runs through the 2029 season. Last week, Swift was asked if he was playing his best football. He agreed.
"I feel like I'm just getting started if you ask me," Swift said last week. "I do feel like that."
The Bears coaches agree. Especially when they see the player that's been in the game going on his seventh year.
"I've been very, very impressed with him," Bears running back coach Eric Studesville said. "I was impressed with him from afar as a coach. When you see him in crossover tape and you watch him play, but just being around him every day, how he approaches a game, professionalism, how he takes care of his body, how intense he is about his assignments and things is very impressive."
Swift was entering the final year of a three-year, $24 million contract he signed before the 2024 season.
In 2025, he set career highs with 1,087 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. He's rushed for 2,046 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons in Chicago. A lot of that is how he's found decisiveness. A lof that came with learning more details in Bears coach Ben Johnson's offense.
Column: D'Andre Swift enjoyed a great camp. He can take the Chicago Bears' offense higher in 2026
D'Andre Swift has by far had the best training camp of any Chicago Bears' offensive player. Here's why he's the most important player for the Bears in 2026.
What they're saying:
Bears general manager Ryan Poles was asked about Swift's contract last week. He said looking at an extension was something the team would consider.
Now, it's come to fruition.
"I love his approach this offseason. He looks amazing. Second year in the system too. I think the combinations of having (former Bears running back coach Eric Bienemy) EB and (Bears' running backs coach Eric) Studesville has been awesome for him," Poles said. "I like where he's at right now. This is where this job gets tough, trying to figure out how you want to allocate everything not only for now but into the future. We'll have those conversations and see where we want to go with it. I love Swiftie. I love the way that he's working."
It goes beyond Poles' view of Swift, too.
Bears coach Ben Johnson has said he values consistency and availability in his players. Swift set a career high in rush yards last year and missed just one game while fighting through injuries all year.
Johnson knew Swift from their time in Detroit. He saw another level to the running back in this past training camp.
"I've had a long history with him obviously, so I know the skill set. He might be a guy that we just keep an eye on as we go through camp," Johnson said at the beginning of camp. "We need him fresh and ready to go for 17 plus games this year and that's what we're most concerned about. There's things in the pass game that we'll continue to look at and challenge him on, but where he is as a runner right now, I think we feel really good about."
Big picture view:
This is the second offensive player the Bears have extended in the last two months.
Earlier in August, the Bears gave offensive lineman Darnell Wright a four-year extension through 2031 after a second-team All-Pro season. Now, Swift's extension is a sign of how they'll reward players who play their best for the franchise and give the Bears what they're looking for.
The Bears want an explosive running game. The Bears believe Swift can provide them that, and the proof is in how Swift found a career year even with the emergence of rookie running back Kyle Monangai. Swift also set a career high with 62 recorded first downs. He also recorded 4.9 yards per carry, which is the highest average per rush in his career in a season where he had over 100 carries.
"You can see him working on it," Studesville said. "Seeing the angles of where things are and being really proactive into what my possibilities are for where the ball should go and when."
The Source: Reporting from this story is from FOX Chicago's Chris Kwiecinski.