Chicago Bears: 5 Winners from the 2021 preseason

4. Khalil Herbert, Running Back

The Chicago Bears surprised quite a few people when they drafted Khalil Herbert in the sixth round of this year’s draft. The unit looked deeper than last year’s group.

Not much was expected from Herbert going into training camp. Most people figured he’d be a practice squad player and could step in if someone got injured.

Herbert didn’t have that mentality, though. He went into training camp and into the preseason games with a great attitude and he really opened eyes, including head coach Matt Nagy’s, per the Chicago Sun-Times.

"He’s really caught my attention. . . You talk about the word ‘trust’ — he hasn’t made many mistakes as a rookie. He’s very, very smooth. When he gets the football, you can see the burst that he has. . . .I just really like where he’s at right now."

With Tarik Cohen still down due to ACL surgery from last season, Herbert could have a bigger role in the backfield, at least early on. Additionally, he’ll utilize his explosiveness and speed on special teams, trying to help improve the return game for Chicago.

Damien Williams is considered the Bears’ RB2 behind David Montgomery, but Herbert is staking a claim for the job. While Williams probably starts the season as the guy behind Montgomery, he better perform well. Herbert could overtake him easily if he doesn’t watch out.

Even when Cohen comes back, Herbert likely remains on the roster. He earned his place on the team.