NFL training camps are set to open later this month, and that means competitions for starting jobs and roster spots are about to intensify.

Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert was one of the three players designated to return from IR on Monday.
(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

For several veterans, that could mean beating out a highly drafted rookie for a spot in the starting lineup and others could be replaced by high-priced free-agent acquisitions.

In Chicago, the arrival of D’Andre Swift following a career-year with the Philadelphia Eagles could start the clock on one of the Bears’ young but rising running backs.

Could the Chicago Bears Cut Khalil Herbert?

Chicago Bears, Khalil Herbert, Cleveland Browns — Expect running back Khalil Herbert to receive an increase in carries this season.

Khalil Herbert, 26, has the combination of speed and power that make him the type of running back capable of at minimum sitting atop a backfield rotation.

After rushing for 2,917 yards with 22 touchdowns during his collegiate career at Kansas and Virginia Tech, the Bears chose Herbert in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Herbert has since appeared in 42 games.

However, after the Bears made Swift one of the franchise’s first signings this offseason, Herbert’s days in the windy city could be numbered.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggests not only that Herbert could be cut this summer, but that the veteran back should be on every team’s radar if he becomes available.

“While Herbert has tallied over 2,000 yards from scrimmage,” Kay points out for Bleacher Report. “And accounted for 10 touchdowns since entering the league as a sixth-rounder in 2021, he hasn’t worked regularly as a returner since his rookie campaign.

“If the Bears decide to move on without Herbert, plenty of other teams should be willing to roll the dice on a back who has averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry on his career. He would be an affordable backup option in case of an injury and could even work as a starting kick returner given his respectable career numbers of 796 yards gained across 32 returns.”

It could be easy to see Herbert wind up as part of a contender’s plans to add depth, such as the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs or Los Angeles Chargers where his explosiveness and versatility as a pass-catcher out of backfield could make him a fit.

The stage seems set, though, for Herbert to simultaneously fight for a spot in Chicago and audition for jobs elsewhere across the league this summer.