The Bears have released Michael Bush, and I can’t say I’m surprised. He just doesn’t seem to be the back he was a few years back.
Bush was suppose to be their designated short-yardage runner, but he was pretty ineffective in that role. Comically ineffective, actually.
By our count, the Bears brought him in 13 times when they wanted to bang out 1 yard to either score a touchdown or move the chains on third or fourth down. Bush was successful on only four of those carries.
I remember at one point during the season, he failed on a couple of carries at the goal line and Andy Richardson wrote in one of his game capsules, something to the effect of, “Come on. Aren’t we at the point where we just leave Matt Forte in there for those plays?”
Across the league last year, 30 running backs had at least 10 of those “and-one” carries last year. Bush was the least effective of all of those runners. Maybe not all of his fault. Offensive line plays a role as well. But when all you’re doing is running in short-yardage, they’ve counting on you to just find a way to bang out that yard on more of those attempts. And Bush is an aging guy who doesn’t play special teams.
Forte also is getting a bit on the old side (and historically has been poor as a short-yardage runner) so Chicago definitely will add a backup tailback with some skills, either by the draft or free agency.
RUNNING BACKS: AND-ONE RUSHING | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rk | Team | Player | No | Att | Pct |
1 | NYJ | Chris Ivory | 10 | 12 | 83.3% |
2 | Phil. | LeSean McCoy | 18 | 22 | 81.8% |
3 | N.O. | Jed Collins | 9 | 11 | 81.8% |
4 | Min. | Adrian Peterson | 15 | 19 | 78.9% |
5 | S.F. | Frank Gore | 12 | 16 | 75.0% |
6 | Den. | Knowshon Moreno | 9 | 12 | 75.0% |
7 | St.L. | Zac Stacy | 9 | 12 | 75.0% |
8 | G.B. | Eddie Lacy | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
9 | Det. | Joique Bell | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
10 | S.D. | Ryan Mathews | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
11 | Ind. | Trent Richardson | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
12 | N.O. | Pierre Thomas | 8 | 11 | 72.7% |
13 | Oak. | Rashad Jennings | 8 | 11 | 72.7% |
14 | Ariz. | Rashard Mendenhall | 10 | 14 | 71.4% |
15 | K.C. | Jamaal Charles | 12 | 17 | 70.6% |
16 | Pitt. | Jonathan Dwyer | 7 | 10 | 70.0% |
17 | Car. | Mike Tolbert | 11 | 16 | 68.8% |
18 | Jac. | Maurice Jones-Drew | 12 | 18 | 66.7% |
19 | Dall. | DeMarco Murray | 8 | 12 | 66.7% |
20 | Buff. | Fred Jackson | 13 | 20 | 65.0% |
21 | Clev. | Willis McGahee | 11 | 17 | 64.7% |
22 | N.E. | Stevan Ridley | 7 | 11 | 63.6% |
23 | Mia. | Daniel Thomas | 6 | 10 | 60.0% |
24 | Atl. | Steven Jackson | 10 | 17 | 58.8% |
25 | Cin. | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | 11 | 19 | 57.9% |
26 | Pitt. | LeVeon Bell | 11 | 20 | 55.0% |
27 | Balt. | Ray Rice | 6 | 13 | 46.2% |
28 | Hou. | Ben Tate | 6 | 14 | 42.9% |
29 | Sea. | Marshawn Lynch | 5 | 12 | 41.7% |
30 | Chi. | Michael Bush | 4 | 13 | 30.8% |
—Ian Allan