It’s looking more and more likely that the Chicago Bears will be adding a running back when free agency opens next week. First, there were reports that Chicago was expected to pursue running back Saquon Barkley. Now another name is being floated as an option: Josh Jacobs. And it sounds like there is interest on both sides.
Chicago Bears radio sideline reporter and ESPN 1000 Bears analyst Jason McKie was on Wednesday’s edition of the Chicago Bears Podcast with Pat The Designer and dropped an interesting nugget about Jacobs. “I know from his standpoint, Josh would love to be in a Bears uniform,” McKie said before revealing that his agent represents Jacobs as well. When McKie brought up the idea of Jacobs playing in Chicago, the agent had quite the response. “I texted him [Jacobs] would look great in a Bears uniform. He’s like, ‘hey, there’s mutual interest.’
THE CHICAGO BEARS PODCAST @ChicagoBears and Josh Jacobs have a mutual interest 👀
full show: https://t.co/neQ9rnTBPo pic.twitter.com/LRnzNEPDsw
— ESPN 1000 (@ESPN1000) March 6, 2024
McKie was quick to make things clear that this doesn’t mean the Bears are going all in to make sure Jacobs signs, but he did reiterate the interest on both sides.
Jacobs is entering free agency for the first time in his career after five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and is coming off a somewhat down season. He finished the year with 805 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, the lowest of his career, while playing in 13 games. In 2022, Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,653 and added 12 rushing touchdowns. Despite the 26-year-olds drop-off in production last year, Jacobs is still considered one of the top running backs on the market.
The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have roughly $44 million in cap space available following the Jaylon Johnson franchise tag, and reports have them investing in a running back during free agency. Perhaps that running back will be Jacobs, who, interestingly enough, was selected in the 2019 NFL Draft using one of the first-round picks the Bears gave up in the Khalil Mack trade. That might be coming full circle if Jacobs signs with Chicago in free agency. Jacobs has a market value of $10.5 million next year, according to Spotrac and would be an excellent player to pair with Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert.
