David Montgomery hopes to return to Chicago: I love the Bears

David Montgomery is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins on March 15. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents during the two-day negotiating period on March 13, but if it were up to Montgomery, he’d remain a member of the Chicago Bears.

“I love the Bears. I love the organization,” Montgomery said on FanDuel TV. “I love how the city treated me, and they got a good thing going over there.”

Montgomery has been the Bears’ primary running back since joining the team as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. The former Iowa State star emerged as a starter during his rookie season when he finished with 889 yards and six touchdowns. In 2020, Montgomery topped 1,000 rushing yards, but he hasn’t had more than 850 yards in either of the last two years.

Still, Montgomery’s value to the Bears extends beyond his stats. He’s a big part of the culture that coach Matt Eberflus is trying to build in Chicago, and general manager Ryan Poles said at the end of the season that he’d love to have Montgomery back in 2023.

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Will Ryan Poles sign Montgomery to a second contract?

“I’ve always wanted to keep David,” Poles said. “I love his mentality, how he plays the game. I told him that to his face. He’s part of the identity that we had this year that kept us competitive.”

Signing running backs to costly second contracts can be risky, though, and Poles acknowledged that Montgomery’s return would depend on whether his contract demands are in line with what the Bears are willing to pay.

“The second part of that is just the contract situation,” Poles said. “That’s something that we’ll see how that goes and if we can find common ground. Obviously, I’ve learned that you can want a player, and the value’s got to come together for it to happen.”

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David Montgomery is part of a loaded free-agent RB class

David Montgomery is entering a free agency period loaded with talent at running back. Players like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard and Miles Sanders are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, although the franchise tag could be used to keep Barkley and Pollard off the open market.

The more oversaturated the free agent class of running backs is, the better the chances Montgomery returns to the Bears. As much as he’s respected by Chicago’s fans and the front office, he’s not the same caliber back as some of those other guys. He may have a hard time landing a big contract from another team.

Montgomery will likely seek a contract similar to the one signed by Cardinals running back James Conner last offseason. He inked a three-year, $21 million deal. His $7 million average annual salary is the same as Leonard Fournette got from the Buccanneers in 2022. Chase Edmonds signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins that paid him more than $6 million per season, but he was traded to the Broncos after failing to make any impact during the first half of his first season in Miami last year.

Austin Ekeler (Chargers) and Kareem Hunt (Browns) each have contracts that pay north of $6 million per season, and both are regarded as better players than David Montgomery, too.

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A team-friendly deal could be coming

The emergence of Khalil Herbert through his first two years in the NFL complicates Montgomery’s return to the Bears. He’s proven to be the more explosive runner and better fit for Luke Getsy’s offense. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry when healthy last year. Herbert has two years remaining on his rookie contract, making him a more cost-effective starting running back with high-end traits.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Montgomery still unsigned after the first wave of free agency. I don’t think he’ll be a priority for teams right out of the gate, and it could force him to accept a lower contract to come back to the Bears than risk being forced to take a one-year deal on the eve of training camp.

David Montgomery is the kind of player teams want in the locker room. He plays with a contagious energy. And while his skill set may not warrant a massive payday, he deserves a contract that better reflects his intangibles. We’ll see whether the Chicago Bears are willing to give him one.

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