Ben Johnson Wanted Coleman Bennett And We Finally Figured Out Why

Running back was largely a quiet position for the Chicago Bears this offseason. That isn’t a surprise after how well D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai played last season. Both are coming back this year. Both are still relatively young. There doesn’t seem to be much of a reason to mess with a good thing. That said, head coach Ben Johnson does have a considerable depth issue to address. Travis Homer departed in free agency, leaving the #3 spot uncertain. Roschon Johnson remains an option, but he struggles to stay healthy. Brittain Brown flashed in the preseason last year. Deion Hankins did as well, but he’s coming off a knee injury. That is where the arrival of Coleman Bennett becomes interesting.

At first glance, there wasn’t much to react to. He was an undrafted free agent out of Kennessaw State. After standing out as a versatile running back and return man at Bucknell, he vanished for a season at Rice before finally getting a real opportunity last season. He responded by leading the team in total yards from scrimmage with 1,074, including 764 rushing and 314 receiving. However, those weren’t the numbers that likely drew head coach Ben Johnson’s attention. It was his remarkable ability to stay on his feet.

Chicago Bears UDFA running back Coleman Bennett broke 40 tackles on 133 rushes and broke 13 tackles on 18 receptions in 2025, according to @PFF

His 53 broken tackles on 151 touches was the highest broken tackle rate of any RB in the 2026 NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/adnTic8EQZ

— Lorin Cox (@CoxSports1) May 11, 2026

Coleman Bennett has a crucial trait Johnson loves.

Contact balance is something not always mentioned as a key trait for running backs. Most people focus on speed, agility, vision, and power. Footwork and balance are a bit lower on the list. Not for Johnson. He’s shown for years that he wants running backs who never go down on the first tackle attempt. The more they can squeeze out of every carry, the better. That is why he pushed the Detroit Lions to sign David Montgomery in 2023 and drafted Monangai last year. Both share the same trait.

It doesn’t take long to see that Bennett is the same way. There are examples littered across his tape. He constantly keeps his legs churning, fighting through tackles. He also uses his arms to keep defenders off him at every opportunity. Without the benefit of truly breakaway speed, this is a mentality Bennett knew he’d have to embrace if he wanted to excel at the position. We already know Johnson loves speed, but is willing to make exceptions at running back if the player runs hard and doesn’t go down easily.

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Bennett has a clear lane to the main roster.

Don’t be fooled. Right now, the only real obstacle is Johnson. The primary reason for that is his special teams ability. That is why Travis Homer held the third spot last season. So if Coleman Bennett wants to fulfill Johnson’s expectations, he must put his versatility to good use and find a way to stand out on special teams. His return ability could be a huge factor in that. While Zavion Thomas is the obvious favorite for that role, the Bears will be looking for backup options as well. The more useful you can make yourself out to be, the better your odds of earning a spot.

There is no doubt Bennett will be one of the most interesting names to follow in training camp. Running backs typically don’t stand out until the pads go on. Until then, the best thing for him to do is absorb the playbook as much as possible and do everything asked of him. There is no room for sitting in his comfort zone. Try everything. The young man doesn’t lack resilience. That will come in handy as the summer unfolds.