With glaring rumors of the Chicago Bears potentially adding another running back to their roster, fans are left to choose between Leonard Fournette or Alvin Kamara?
Leonard Fournette or Alvin Kamara? Is there a wrong answer for the Chicago Bears? Well, it depends on how general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are looking at things. There are pros and cons to both players.
Leonard Fournette
Pros:
The Bears are the odds on favorite to sign Leonard Fournette in the next few days. The benefit with him is, he cleared waivers, so he is officially a free agent. Chicago can offer him a contract, but it would make sense to give him a short-term show-me deal.
In three seasons, Fournette has scored 19-total touchdowns, with 17 of them being on the ground. He has 2,631 career rushing yards, with just three fumbles. Those aren’t terrible stats for Fournette.
At 6-foot, 228-pounds, Fournette will bring size to the Bears’ backfield. Does he fit in Nagy’s system though? Jordan Howard, who is similar in size and skill, didn’t. Chicago did struggle running the ball last season though, and some of it could be lack of size in the backfield.
If Fournette is brought into Chicago, Nagy will have a second chance to get things right in the backfield. There was an obvious regression on offense last season in the air and not running the ball as well as they did in 2018 had to do with it.
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Cons:
The former 4th-overall pick from the 2017 NFL draft has struggled in Jacksonville. There were rumors spread that Fournette was not let go for lack of production. That can mean a few things. Either he is struggling to get along with teammates, he doesn’t fit in their offense, or they couldn’t come to terms for a new contract. Still though, trading him and getting something out of it would have made more sense for Jacksonville.
The biggest issue comes with Matt Nagy. If Nagy is given the chance to work with Fournette, will he use him in the run game as poorly as he did with Jordan Howard? There needs to be a running back in Chicago that could control the clock and punch the ball in the endzone inside the 10 yard-line. Fournette could be that guy, but will Nagy use him for that?
He’s a talented player but if he is misused in Chicago, it’s a waste of time and money for the team. If they treat him as poorly as they did Mike Davis last year, this will be just another disappointment in the run game for the Bears.
Alvin Kamara
Pros:
Alvin Kamara fits the Bears’ offense the way Matt Nagy wants to run it. He is an upgraded Tarik Cohen, who can run the ball well, while also being a force in the passing game. There are a lot of great things Chicago can do with him.
In 45-career games, Kamara has 27-rushing touchdowns and 10-receiving touchdowns. This dude is a touchdown machine in New Orleans.
Mitchell Trubisky is a good athlete, and if he is the team’s starting quarterback, there are a lot of option plays these two can run together. It’s a win-win for Trubisky and Kamara.
Cons:
The Saints might have too much of an asking price for Kamara. It makes no sense to get rid of one of their biggest weapons on offense. If they’re looking for first-round draft picks, the Bears have to opt-out and go for Fournette.
If Chicago can get Kamara cheaper without giving up too much draft capital and/or too much talent, I’m sold on getting him.
Who Will They Choose?
Trading for Kamara is what makes choosing Fournette more attractive to general managers. He might not be better than Kamara, but teams can get him a lot cheaper. Chicago is a favorite to get either one, but it’s safe to assume Fournette in Chicago makes more sense than Kamara.