Bears’ Public Kyle Monangai Support Is Bad News for D’Andre Swift
When the Chicago Bears made Ben Johnson their next head coach, many fans wondered what D’Andre Swift’s role in the offense would be in 2025. The veteran running back fell just short of the 1,000-yard mark in his first year with the team, rushing for 959 yards and six touchdowns on 253 carries in 2024.
However, the 26-year-old Swift was used a lot in Chicago’s passing game (42 receptions for 386 yards), which gave him an edge over rookie Roschon Johnson. The new Bears head coach isn’t unfamiliar with Swift, as they were both in Detroit together, so he knows what type of player he is.
That said, Johnson decided to add more competition to the RB room earlier this year, drafting rookie Kyle Monangai in the seventh round. The rookie running back made waves in preseason/training camp this summer, which is good news for the Bears.
But it might not be good for Swift, whose job could be on shaky ground just days before the regular season opener. On Saturday, Ben Johnson made a surprising statement about the rookie running back, saying that he trusts him and Monangai "tends to do everything," per Underdog NFL.
Bears Rookie RB Kyle Monangai Gets Vote of Confidence from Ben Johnson
It’s bad enough that Swit had to worry Roschon Johnson last season, and now he’ll try to keep the rookie running back at bay.
Monangai ran the ball well in the one preseason game he played in, recording 30 yards on six carries against the Miami Dolphins. Within those six carries, the former Rutgers standout had three first downs and one run that went for 10-plus yards.
Monangai didn’t play in the final two preseason games because of a hamstring injury. That said, the rookie appears to be healthy and could be in line to be the RB2 on Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings with Roschon Johnson banged up.
Monangai has a nice blend of physicality and acceleration/explosiveness. He might not be much of a factor as a pass catcher like Swift, but seeing how Johnson utilized the Lions RBs over the last two years, there’s a role for the rookie.
That being said, Swift must make sure he’s keeping the chains moving on Monday, along with holding onto the football. Last year, he had two fumbles and three drops as a receiver. In his three years in Detroit, he had 14 drops and six fumbles.
It clears that Johnson has an affinity for the rookie, and the fact that he's earned his trust before the first game could impact what happens with Swift.
Brock Bowers Delivers Reassuring Injury Update – “I’m Back and Ready to Lead the Raiders!”
In a heart-stopping moment that left Las Vegas Raiders fans holding their breath, star tight end Brock Bowers has delivered a reassuring update after a concerning knee scare. The young playmaker, who has quickly established himself as a key weapon in the Raiders’ offense, was feared to have suffered a significant injury, but Bowers has confirmed that he is ready to return and continue his dominant play.
“I’m back, and I’m ready to dominate,” Bowers said with confidence in his post-practice interview. “The knee scare was just that—a scare. I’m feeling good and ready to contribute to this team in a big way. I’ve got no doubts I’ll be at full strength when we need it most.”
The injury, which initially raised alarm bells across Raiders Nation, appears to have been less serious than originally feared, but the scare nonetheless served as a wake-up call for Bowers and the team. The 49ers’ top tight end has quickly become an essential part of the offense, and the thought of losing him for an extended period would have been a huge blow for Las Vegas.
“This is huge for us,” said head coach Josh McDaniels. “Brock is one of the pillars of our offense. He’s a special player, and it’s a relief to hear that he’s ready to go. We’ll be depending on him in the coming games, and we know he’ll deliver.”
Bowers’ leadership and versatility have made him an integral piece of the Raiders’ plans for 2025. With a dangerous combination of size, speed, and route-running ability, he’s been the safety net quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo needs. Now that he’s cleared to play, the Raiders are more dangerous than ever, with Bowers ready to help push them toward a playoff run.
“Like I said, I’m ready to lead this team,” Bowers reiterated. “We’ve got big goals, and I’m here to help us reach them. This injury scare is behind me, and I’m focused on what’s ahead.”
As Bowers rejoins the Raiders for their next game, fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief. With the season heating up, the Raiders now have their star tight end back in action, and Bowers is ready to make sure the team remains a serious contender in the AFC.
Buccaneers LB Lavonte David Calls Out SirVocea Dennis After Win Over Falcons
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers grinded out a narrow 23-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons to open the 2025 campaign on Sunday, and while winning is always nice, there are some issues that the team has to clean up moving forward. Right after the game, star linebacker Lavonte David made that extremely with some pointed comments towards his partner in crime, SirVocea Dennis.
The Buccaneers paired David up alongside Dennis as their two starting inside linebackers this season, but Dennis struggled throughout this clash against the Falcons and even got benched at one point. While Dennis bounced back and returned to the field, David did not hold back when discussing his Week 1 performance.
Lavonte David Doesn’t Hold Back on SirVocea Dennis
David has been in the NFL since he was selected by the Bucs in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he’s seen pretty much everything you can imagine as he enters the 14th season of his career. David earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and three All-Pro honors throughout his career, while also helping Tampa Bay take down the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Dennis, on the other hand, is an inexperienced 2023 fifth-round pick who made only his first start of his career against the Falcons. He got outclassed by Atlanta’s star running back Bijan Robinson on a few occasions, and at one point in the game, he got replaced by Deion Jones due to his struggles.
Later in the game, Dennis returned to the field and performed better, but the Buccaneers are going to need more from him if he’s going to hold onto a starting job alongside David. After the game, David called out Dennis for his struggles, while also praising his resilience and his ability to bounce back later in the game.
“He gotta get his a** going,” David bluntly said after the game. “He ain’t got no time to wait. You gotta come out there ready to go. He had some tough times, it’s one game. But I know for a fact he’s gonna be better, and he came back the very next play in the second half, stuffed the fullback and made the play. I expect nothing less out of Voc, he’s just gotta get his feet under him a little bit.”
Buccaneers Turn Attention to Week 2 Matchup vs. Texans
It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but Dennis managed to recover and rack up 10 tackles, one of which went for a loss, and one pass deflection. There is certainly stuff he can build off of from this performance, and that’s what David is going to be working on ensuring happens after this big win to open the season.
The Buccaneers will hit the practice field this week and begin preparing for their Week 2 matchup, which will be against a tough Houston Texans team. While they only racked up three field goals in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, the Texans have several explosive playmakers at their disposal. It will be up to David, Dennis, and the rest of the defense to slow them when they meet up on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
