Jeremy Langford had a credible rookie season for Chicago, with a couple of big games when Matt Forte sat out. The Bears were comfortable letting Forte leave in free agency, suggesting they viewed Langford as a capable replacement.
But the fact that they offered C.J. Anderson $19 million over four years is a reminder that John Fox has long preferred a two-back system, and an indication that the Bears are thinking along those lines for next season. You don't hand a running back that kind of contract as an insurance policy. The Bears then drafted Jordan Howard in the fifth round, and either he or holdover KaDeem Carey is a possibility to be paired with Langford.
Langford, though he had his moments, wasn't entirely effective last season. Among running backs with at least 250 rushing yards, for example, only seven of them had a worse yards-per-carry number than Langford (3.6). Some of those guys don't have contracts for this season; very few are being counted on to start.
| RUNNING BACK YARDS PER CARRY, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| Andre Ellington, Ariz. | 45 | 289 | 6.4 | 3 |
| Mike Gillislee, Buff. | 47 | 267 | 5.7 | 3 |
| Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 147 | 830 | 5.6 | 4 |
| Karlos Williams, Buff. | 93 | 517 | 5.6 | 7 |
| Spencer Ware, K.C. | 72 | 403 | 5.6 | 6 |
| Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 52 | 271 | 5.2 | 2 |
| Ryan Mathews, Phil. | 106 | 539 | 5.1 | 6 |
| Jamaal Charles, K.C. | 71 | 364 | 5.1 | 4 |
| Jonathan Grimes, Hou. | 56 | 282 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 288 | 1,402 | 4.9 | 6 |
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 113 | 556 | 4.9 | 3 |
| Charles Sims, T.B. | 107 | 529 | 4.9 | 0 |
| Todd Gurley, St.L. | 229 | 1,106 | 4.8 | 10 |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 154 | 730 | 4.7 | 2 |
| C.J. Anderson, Den. | 152 | 720 | 4.7 | 5 |
| Darren McFadden, Dall. | 239 | 1,089 | 4.6 | 3 |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 166 | 769 | 4.6 | 6 |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 125 | 581 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 327 | 1,485 | 4.5 | 11 |
| DeAngelo Williams, Pitt. | 200 | 907 | 4.5 | 11 |
| Lamar Miller, Mia. | 194 | 872 | 4.5 | 8 |
| Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 87 | 392 | 4.5 | 1 |
| Bilal Powell, NYJ | 70 | 313 | 4.5 | 1 |
| LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 203 | 895 | 4.4 | 3 |
| Rashad Jennings, NYG | 195 | 863 | 4.4 | 3 |
| Chris Ivory, NYJ | 247 | 1,070 | 4.3 | 7 |
| LeGarrette Blount, N.E. | 165 | 703 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Shane Vereen, NYG | 61 | 260 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Ronnie Hillman, Den. | 207 | 863 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Chris Johnson, Ariz. | 196 | 814 | 4.2 | 3 |
| Justin Forsett, Balt. | 151 | 641 | 4.2 | 2 |
| Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 143 | 597 | 4.2 | 2 |
| Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 242 | 989 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Matt Forte, Chi. | 218 | 898 | 4.1 | 4 |
| Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 187 | 758 | 4.1 | 3 |
| T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 182 | 740 | 4.1 | 2 |
| James Starks, G.B. | 148 | 601 | 4.1 | 2 |
| Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 115 | 470 | 4.1 | 3 |
| Joseph Randle, Dall. | 76 | 315 | 4.1 | 4 |
| Mike Tolbert, Car. | 62 | 256 | 4.1 | 1 |
| Latavius Murray, Oak. | 266 | 1,066 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 265 | 1,056 | 4.0 | 11 |
| Charcandrick West, K.C. | 160 | 634 | 4.0 | 4 |
| Denard Robinson, Jac. | 67 | 266 | 4.0 | 1 |
| Tim Hightower, N.O. | 96 | 375 | 3.9 | 4 |
| Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 185 | 706 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 183 | 698 | 3.8 | 2 |
| Javorius Allen, Balt. | 137 | 514 | 3.8 | 1 |
| Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 111 | 417 | 3.8 | 3 |
| Darren Sproles, Phil. | 83 | 317 | 3.8 | 3 |
| Frank Gore, Ind. | 260 | 967 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Alfred Morris, Wash. | 202 | 751 | 3.7 | 1 |
| Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 223 | 794 | 3.6 | 11 |
| Duke Johnson, Clev. | 104 | 379 | 3.6 | 0 |
| DeMarco Murray, Phil. | 193 | 702 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Antonio Andrews, Tenn. | 143 | 520 | 3.6 | 3 |
| Jeremy Langford, Chi. | 148 | 537 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Melvin Gordon, S.D. | 184 | 641 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Joique Bell, Det. | 90 | 311 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Shaun Draughn, S.F. | 76 | 263 | 3.5 | 1 |
| Matt Jones, Wash. | 144 | 490 | 3.4 | 3 |
| Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 98 | 336 | 3.4 | 3 |
| Chris Polk, Hou. | 99 | 334 | 3.4 | 1 |
| Andre Williams, NYG | 88 | 257 | 2.9 | 1 |
--Andy Richardson