As one of the first moves in the 2024 NFL free agency period, the Chicago Bears signed running back D’Andre Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract. Some Bears fans liked the signing when it happened. Since then, fans have cooled off on Swift, and the Bears have even been urged to draft Ashton Jeanty with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Swift could face a bit of competition in 2025 after the Bears re-signed Travis Hunter following their free agency frenzy, per Adam Schefter on X.
“Running back Travis Homer is re-signing with the Bears on a one-year, $2 million deal, per source,” Schefter wrote.
Now, although the Bears re-signed Homer, it’s likely more of a depth signing than anything.
Homer signed with the Bears in 2023 after four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, holding more of a special teams role with Chicago.
Throughout his two seasons with the Bears, he’s been a special teams weapon, hardly seeing the field on offense.
2023
- Offensive snaps: 6 (0.53% of total offensive snaps)
- Special teams snaps: 253 (57.11% of total special teams reps)
2024
- Offensive snaps: 75 (6.6% of total offensive snaps)
- Special teams snaps: 166 (37.99% of total offensive snaps)
Now, it’s evident that Homer played more of a part in the Bears’ offense in 2024 than in 2023, but that’s more due to the health of the running back room than anything.
Swift appeared in all 17 games he started in, while backup running back Roschon Johnson played in just 14 games, missing two games due to a concussion sustained in Week 13.
And once Khalil Herbert got traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Homer was the team’s third option behind Swift and Johnson.
With that, Homer is set to return for the 2025 season.
That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll see much time on the offense, but — as a special teamer — Homer could battle for the No. 1 returner job.
#Seahawks RB Travis Homer just returned an onside kick for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/3Bm9OlRwSX
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 31, 2021
Considering the Bears were still testing out kick and punt returners late into the 2024 season, it showed their lack of talent at the position.
So, with Homer returning on a one-year deal, he could certainly step into that returner role well, given his 4.48 40-yard-dash time back in 2019.
However, even with this signing by the Bears, there’s a growing belief that D’Andre Swift will face competition in the backfield heading into the heart of the 2025 NFL offseason, even if it isn’t Travis Homer.
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