Ashton Jeanty wants to be a Dallas Cowboy, but Jerry Jones and the front office might not love him back. As much as Jeanty has openly flaunted his Dallas fandom and his preference to wear a star on his helmet, the Cowboys select at pick No. 12, a position at in recent history would not align with a high-end running back.
The position itself is on the rebound this offseason thanks to outstanding years from Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. Many pundits think Jeanty can be that kind of running back. FanSided's Colton Edwards projected Jeanty as the first running back taken in this April's draft, and he's hardly alone in that regard:
"Jeanty's elite contact balance, lower body strength, and leg drive enable him to power through in short-yardage situations and consistently break tackles at all levels of the field. His good burst and acceleration allow him to quickly separate from the first and second levels, allowing him to explode through the gaps. Multi-cut ability with good footwork and short-area quickness," Edwards wrote of Jeanty's strengths.
It is that combination of burst, athleticism, power and vision that has teams in need of a running back drooling of the possibilities. At the NFL combine, Jeanty was of course linked to Dallas – though they are saving their official meeting – and the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears Ashton Jeanty link suddenly makes a lot of sense
The Bears have been active, both at the combine and shortly thereafter. Ben Johnson is a brilliant offensive mind, but Chicago is lacking in the trenches. That is why Ryan Poles traded for Jonah Jackson on Tuesday, and then Joe Thuney on Wednesday morning. There could be more to come.
Jackson did not grade well per Pro Football Focus, and was even worse than some of the offensive linemen already on the Bears roster. Yet, Johnson trusts Jackson from his Lions days, as did Matthew Stafford. Thuney is a solid rotational piece who can play multiple positions, as evidenced this past season with the Chiefs, which faced challenges at tackle and guard. Thuney can do both, whatever that means for Chicago.
As talented as D'Andre Swift – a player with a background in Johnson's system – could be with the Bears, he is not a bell-cow, standalone back in a productive offense. This is where Jeanty could come in. Chicago has a top-30 visit lined up with the running back, and if they add him to an offense which already has some impressive talent at the skill positions, it'd be an embarrassment of riches.
Cowboys could lose out on Ashton Jeanty to the Bears
This is a problem for the Cowboys if they actually planned on taking Jeanty. Rico Dowdle is decent enough, but the Dallas rushing attack was lacking last season. It's the primary reason Jeanty has been linked to the Cowboys from the jump.
The math here is relatively simple. The Bears pick tenth. The Cowboys select 12th. If Chicago wants to take Jeanty, they will get their wish unless Dallas trades up, which would be a rash and unpopular decision among the fanbase.