The conversation around spending multiple years in the same offensive system usually highlights quarterbacks -- especially young ones like the Bears' Caleb Williams.
Of course, the benefits extend across the entire unit, and the consistency from playing in Ben Johnson's scheme for consecutive years particularly seems to have provided a boost for running back D'Andre Swift.
"Going into the second year in this system, I have a better understanding of the offense in general and where I need to be," Swift told Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I feel really good about it.
"It's the first time I've been in a system for consecutive years in a while, so I paid attention to the self-scout from last year and figured out what I need to do a better job of. I'm honing in on the little details, so that allows me to play faster."
It hasn't only been "a while" since Swift played in the same coach's system in back-to-back years. The upcoming season, his seventh in the league, will mark the first time Swift has ever done it as a pro.
The first NFL offense he learned was Darrell Bevell's with the Lions in 2020. Bevell was notably named Detroit's interim head coach after the team fired Matt Patricia during the season. Swift then played under offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn in 2021 and Ben Johnson in 2022 before being traded to the Eagles and playing in Brian Johnson's offense in 2023. Swift's first season in Chicago was his most hectic of all, as the Bears fired Shane Waldron in early November and bumped Thomas Brown up to interim OC. Roughly two weeks later, Brown became the team's interim head coach following Matt Eberflus' firing.
Swift reunited with Ben Johnson in 2025 and produced the second 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. At long last, he can now build off the familiarity he has in Johnson's offense instead of playing catch-up throughout preseason.
And it isn't just Swift who has felt the difference in his rushing. One of his blockers, guard Jonah Jackson, has seen it too.
"He's always been a pretty polished runner," Jackson said, "but he seems to be finding another gear."
Swift has long been a quick, dangerous runner, but if he indeed takes it up a notch by being able to play and react more naturally, it would be a boon to a Bears offense that already benefits from Williams' heroics under center and one of the better play-callers in the league.
"There's no reason we shouldn't get off to a fast start," Swift said of Chicago's rushing attack, with a week left before putting it to the test.
