Division rival's big investment in former Lion reinforced as not very smart

Over his three seasons as a Detroit Lion, D'Andre Swift was an object of frustration. Moments of really good production were met with maddening inconsistency, and seemingly aways being banged up to some degree.

At the 2023 NFL Combine, head coach Dan Campbell truly said it all about where the team was with Swift. Not to mention foreshadowing the trade to the Philadelphia Eagles that came less than two months later, via reading tea leaves.

"We tried to do that last year. We tried to take care of him in camp"….Campbell said at that time, referring to 2022. "We thought we had a recipe going into the year, and it didn’t work out,…We’re going to start all over from scratch again....."

Swift topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career last year with the Eagles. But his production was inconsistent, and however bolstered by operating behind another one of the best offensive lines in the league.

On the first day of the free agency negotiation window in March, Swift's three-year, $24 million deal ($15.28 million guaranteed) with the Chicago Bears was announced very quickly. The Bears simply wasted no time getting their new lead running back, even with a couple capable-looking options already in place.

Bears' investment in D'Andre Swift reinforced as not very smart

When the dust settled on the notable part of free agency, we had the signing of Swift to the deal they did as the one free agency move to laugh at from the Bears. That comes from first-hand knowledge of what it means to try to rely on Swift as your lead back. The Eagles learned that lesson too.

Yes, it's possible the Bears use Swift more ideally as part of a backfield committee. But they are not paying him like a committee back, they're paying like he'll be their clear lead guy.

Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report has created an "All Overpaid Team" as the 2024 season nears. Swift is the No. 1 running back on said team, tabbed as the "Worst Investment" at the position.

"D'Andre Swift is being paid handsomely to complement QB Caleb Williams in the Chicago Bears' backfield."
"While Swift enjoyed a successful 2023 in Philadelphia, he's never played a full 17-game NFL season and his production last fall could largely be contributed to an Eagles front five widely regarded as one of the best in football."
"The 25-year-old eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in 2023 for the first time in his career, amassing 1,049 rushing yards on 229 carries (4.5 YPC) with Philly."
"Swift will start as the lead back in Chicago, but it remains a question if he can replicate his success behind a weaker offensive line."
"Considering Chicago has both Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson (963 rushing yards combined in 2023) on the roster, the money tied to Swift looks like a bit of an overpay at the moment."

The Bears have the luxury of a young quarterback on a rookie contract for the next few years, which frees up more money to spend as they please and surround Caleb Williams with plenty of talent.

But being able to spend excessively on non-quarterback positions doesn't mean you have to. In this case, investing a top-10 running back contract in someone who has concerns that equal or usurp his talent is not smart business.

The Lions will get an up-close look at Swift in a Bears' uniform twice this season. Assuming he is available for both games against them of course.