Bears RB impressing with versatility at camp: 'He's damn near a receiver'

Some people may have been surprised by D'Andre Swift's 42-yard reception on Saturday versus the Buffalo Bills, but the Chicago Bears certainly weren't.

Swift, Chicago's starting running back, has been showcasing his talents as a receiver during camp, and everyone at Halas Hall has noticed.

Swift's standout performance was the subject of a report on Wednesday by The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain.

"Swift has stood out over the past few weeks, whether it’s catching passes or darting behind blocks as a runner," Fishbain said. "It’s easier to judge the pass catching in camp, and the evaluation has been positive."

"I mean, he’s damn near a receiver,” Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards said of Swift, per Fishbain. "It’s really good for us, though. I think just coming off of last year that’s something we wanted to improve on, and again, we do one-on-ones, every day we’re in pads. Being able to go against him ... really helps us. He’s really dynamic, he’s quick and he has really good hands, so he makes it tough on you, for sure."

Fishbain also detailed how a specific catch that Swift made turned a lot of heads and elicited excitement from onlooking fans.

"As Brett Rypien ’s pass floated above the linemen, it didn’t look catchable — certainly not by the 5-foot-9 running back," Fishbain said.

"D’Andre Swift had other ideas. He leaped and hauled in the screen pass with one hand before taking off down the field. It was the play of the day Wednesday, drawing a huge cheer from Chicago Bears fans who had been waiting for a big play to hit."

On Saturday, Swift's 42-yard catch and run off a shovel pass from Caleb Williams was the standout play of the day for Chicago once again.

The Bears running back could be on the verge of a monstrous season.

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