Getty Bears general manager Ryan Poles, left, and head coach Matt Eberflus.
The Chicago Bears have a few veteran players on the roster bubble as they begin 2024 training camp this week, but a former team scout believes one of them — running back Khalil Herbert — might serve them better as a trade chip instead.
In his July 21 Scout’s Take for Windy City Gridiron, longtime Bears scout Greg Gabriel identified three offensive Bears players whom he believes could wind up on the bubble before the end of camp and included the fourth-year Herbert among his selections.
More interesting, though, was Gabriel’s assessment that the 26-year-old Herbert — who has averaged 4.9 yards per carry over his career — could return “a late pick” in a trade.
“Herbert is in the final year of his contract,” Gabriel wrote. “He’s not expensive at $1.05 million, so he could bring back a late pick in a trade before the final cutdown.”
Khalil Herbert Has Become Expendable in Chicago
Coming into 2023, Herbert was the clear-cut starter for the Bears’ backfield. The team had lost former starter David Montgomery in free agency and added veteran D’Onta Foreman and fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson to supply more depth, but neither one could match Herbert’s efficiency, making him a valuable resource for Chicago.
The same, however, is not true about Herbert heading into the 2024 season.
Herbert is still a good back, but three years into his career, he still struggles with many of the same problems. He is a below-average blocker and remains inconsistent as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, showing a lack of refinement in his route-running. The Bears might be willing to continue working with him if they did not have better options or his contract had more length left to it, but that is not the reality anymore.
The Bears signed D’Andre Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract in free agency, installing a veteran whom they believe can be a “weapon back” both as a rusher and as a pass-catcher for their improved offense in 2024. Herbert could still have a role behind him, but so too could Johnson — who finished third in receptions (34) for the Bears as a rookie and showed good burst when given more opportunities late in the season.
Chicago must still ask itself whether a tandem of Swift and Johnson can suffice as a winning recipe for them in 2024. But if the answer is yes, then Herbert becomes an expendable third option who may have more value netting a draft pick in a trade.
Which Teams Could Trade for Khalil Herbert?
Lots can happen throughout training camp and the NFL preseason. The Bears will be happy they hung onto Herbert if an injury strikes either Swift or Johnson over the next month of action. If, however, they reach the end of the line and Herbert is on track to slot in as the third back in the rotation, the Bears may want to start thinking about a trade.
But which teams could be interested in a back like Herbert?
The Dallas Cowboys remain the most likely team on the market to pursue another running back. They re-signed Ezekiel Elliott after losing Tony Pollard in free agency, but the rest of their backs — Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Royce Newman — are inexperienced and are far from shoe-ins to lock down the No. 2 role. Maybe one of the trio emerges during camp, but Herbert becomes especially appealing if none do.
The New York Giants could also take an interest in Herbert. They signed veteran Devin Singletary in free agency but may want more experience to package alongside him and 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray as they head into the 2024 season.
Don’t forget, it is not uncommon for teams to trade a late-round pick to jump the waiver-wire line and add a player whom they deem worthwhile. The Bears might only be able to get a seventh-rounder straight up for Herbert, but they could potentially package additional assets in a player-and-pick swap to up the value of the return.
The Bears do own multiple sixth-rounders in the 2025 draft. If the right team shows an interest, perhaps they can package Herbert and a sixth in return for a fifth-rounder.
