Jordan Howard

Howard's one-year stint in Philadelphia ended poorly due to a shoulder injury that cost him six games in the second half of the season, but it started out well. The bruising back's 4.4 YPC was his best since his 2016 rookie year in Chicago, and by Week 3 he had pushed rookie Miles Sanders into a secondary role. Howard bashed out six rushing touchdowns in a seven-game stretch before getting hurt, five from inside the 5-yard line, and his power and patience continued to make him productive between the tackles. After signing a two-year deal with Miami, Howard will form the thunder half of a backfield duo with fellow offseason import Matt Breida, who figures to see more of the targets and the outside-the-tackles carries. The Dolphins also saw fit to trade for Lynn Bowden just before Week 1, but the rookie profiles more similarly to Breida. While the downgrade in the quality of the offense and O-line can't be ignored, Howard at least figures to maintain a considerable role on the ground.

No other NFL club seems to have embraced the devaluation of running backs like the Eagles. Their backfield has become a revolving door under coach Doug Pederson, with Howard the latest to join the carousel after the Bears traded him for a 2020 sixth-round pick. He'll slide in atop the depth chart to a spot occupied by the likes of Jay Ajayi and LeGarrette Blount in recent years, but that role doesn't ensure him a big workload with Darren Sproles, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams and second-round pick Miles Sanders also heading into camp looking for snaps. Howard possesses a power-back profile none of the others offer, however. Built for contact at 6-0, 224, he doesn't offer anything close to game-breaking speed and has never shown much aptitude as a receiver, but has the vision and patience to let the play develop before attacking the line, a skill set that serves him well in short yardage. It's no coincidence six of his nine TDs last year came from inside the 5-yard line, with only one coming from outside the 10. He's used to sharing the load after working alongside Tarik Cohen in Chicago, so while another 250-carry campaign is highly unlikely with so many mouths to feed in Philadelphia, Howard should still make his mark on early downs and at the goal line.

Howard solidified his spot as the Bears' feature back with a strong sophomore campaign, but there are reasons for at least a bit of concern heading into 2018. The 23-year-old appeared to wear down in the second half of the year, topping 4.0 YPC in only two of his final eight games, and despite his knack for letting holes develop in front of him before attacking the defense, his bruising running style could make it difficult for him to stay on the field as the bumps and nicks accumulate. That physical brand of football also makes him very tough to bring down, and for the second consecutive season Howard ranked in the top five for runs of 15 yards or more (4th, 14), even though he lacks a second gear. Tarik Cohen's emergence as Chicago's passing-down back should help keep Howard's touches to a manageable level, especially with Matt Nagy - a product of Andy Reid's coaching tree - taking over for John Fox and installing a more aggressive offense. Most of the Bears' offseason moves were designed to help Mitchell Trubisky's development, but a better passing game will take pressure off Howard, and if second-round pick James Daniels can adequately fill Josh Sitton's big shoes at left guard it will help the interior run blocking as much as it helps protect the team's young QB.

The fifth-round rookie out of Indiana started the season behind Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey on the depth chart, but by Week 4 injuries had cleared a path to the starting job for Howard and he wouldn't relinquish it. At 6-1, 221, he's built for contact, and Howard's ability to run over and through would-be tacklers allowed him to rank among the league leaders in both total yards after contact (fifth) and rushes of 15 yards or more (third). Perhaps more impressive than his physical running style was his vision and patience, as he frequently let plays develop in front of him before lowering the boom. Howard also made a contribution in the passing game, something he was rarely asked to do in college, and looked capable of being an every-down back for the Bears while shouldering an occasionally huge workload, including a 32-carry performance in Week 13. If there was a red flag on his campaign it was a recurrence of the lower-body injuries that kept him off the field in his final college season, although he was able to play through them. Chicago did add Tarik Cohen as a possible third-down option in this year's draft, but Howard heads into 2017 as one of the few backs in the NFL both capable and deserving of a 300-plus touch season.

Knee and ankle problems nagged Howard in his final collegiate season, which might explain why he lasted until the fifth round - some draft pundits attached a second- or third-round grade on him. He's considered a more physical, north-south runner than Jeremy Langford, which means the Bears might eventually have a full-fledged committee on their hands as they look to replace Matt Forte. Howard is raw as a receiver, so Langford (a former wideout) gets the check mark there. But Howard has a chance to lead the Bears in rushing touchdowns, and it wouldn't surprise us at all if he winds up leading the team in overall touches as well.