Roschon Johnson's Chance at Bears Starting Position Hinges on One Crucial Element
In the grand scheme of football careers, Roschon Johnson's journey as a running back is a rather recent phenomenon. This freshman from Texas kicked off his college run as a quarterback and later switched to a running back, a move that revolutionized his gameplay.
He elaborated, "You'll see a tangible difference in my gameplay if you compare my freshman year and senior year. It lies in how I utilize my body as a weapon, how I tackle contact and the minor details of the position. I think I really flourished in those aspects over time."
Johnson might not be the fastest of the Bears, especially when pitted against the likes of Khalil Herbert or D'Onta Foreman. However, the prospect of Johnson having the most carries, or at least a figure on par with veterans, won't be a shocker.
The rationale? The Bears' roster this season boasts a flock of running backs, whose game time experiences are fairly limited. Hence, Johnson, a newbie who morphed into a running back early in his collegiate journey, isn't really at a significant disadvantage.
Last year, Herbert had a share in 301 out of the Bears' 993 plays. His rookie year saw him participate in 313 plays, with a tally of 232 carries - 129 of them happening the previous year. This nearly mirrors David Montgomery's average, but for Herbert, it's been split over two years.
Foreman, a six-season NFL veteran, averages seven games per annum but has only managed to play five seasons due to injuries. Despite this, he's started in 12 games. His golden moment came last year at Carolina when he secured 203 rushes out of the 353 plays he was part of, approximately 35% of Carolina's total plays. Over five years, he's totaled 790 plays.
Considering that Travis Homer has clocked the most NFL games amongst all Bears halfbacks (49), and was primarily recruited for his prowess in special teams and passing games, Johnson doesn't need to conquer an impenetrable fortress of experience to seize his opportunity. His only task is to perform when the opportunity presents itself.
David Walker, Bears' running backs coach, echoed this sentiment: "Multiple guys will be needed, that's just the way things go. As they prove their mettle, they'll earn more reps."
Although it would be startling to see Herbert relinquish his starting position to Johnson after leading the NFL's running backs in yards per carry (5.7) last season, or Foreman to surrender his after averaging 4.5 yards per rush in the latter half of the previous season, the collective inexperience of the team might just be the window Johnson needs to burst into the spotlight.
Pass blocking appears to be an essential criterion, and it's not something that worries Johnson, even as a rookie. Walker emphasized, "When No. 1 (Justin Fields) is behind you, you better do whatever it takes to hold up. You have a job to do, and you better do it well."
This sort of commendation is not what one would typically expect about a rookie, highlighting Johnson's potential.
| POLL | ||
16 JUILLET | 52 ANSWERS Roschon Johnson's Chance at Bears Starting Position Hinges on One Crucial Element Will Johnson be the starting running back this season? | ||
| Yes | 30 | 57.7 % |
| No | 22 | 42.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
