Gil Brandt predicting a huge year for David Montgomery

Earlier this week, our very own Jacob Infante ran through his rookie predictions for the Chicago Bears, and I thought he nailed them. He had third-round draft pick David Montgomery at a shade under two-hundred carries and almost a thousand yards on the ground. Numbers like that would likely get him on a few all-rookie teams for the 2019 season.

But if Montgomery hits the predictions that NFL.com’s Gil Brandt recently made, then Montgomery could be a front runner for 2019 offensive rookie of the year. Check out what Brandt thinks the Bears’ rookie is going to do this year.

Projected stats: 275 carries, 1,200 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs, 30 catches

Brandt not only has Montgomery having a huge year, but he has him nearly four hundred yards ahead of his next best rookie rusher, Josh Jacobs of the Oakland Raiders.

Here’s what Brandt had to say about Montgomery.

Montgomery could very well be the latest third-round running back to make a splash as a rookie, following in the footsteps of Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt. The Bears paved the way for Montgomery to become a feature back by trading Jordan Howard to the Eagles before the draft. The Iowa State product rushed for 1,100-plus yards in each of the past two seasons, and if he slides right in and takes up Howard’s old workload (270 touches in 2018), Montgomery should produce like crazy. Montgomery can catch the ball better than I thought, and thus offers a bit more versatility than Howard; he should also be a potent goal-line threat. He has a chance to really thrive in the offense of Matt Nagy, who was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2017, when Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards.

Both Hunt and Kamara made the all-rookie team in 2017, with Kamara being named offensive rookie of the year. Montgomery, who just turned 22-years old, will have plenty of opportunities, but he’ll be battling for playing time with a loaded running back room with the Bears.

I think Brandt may be sleeping on the impact veteran Mike Davis will have, but Montgomery does have “lead-back” skills, and if he gets hot he could end up with the bulk of carries.