The Bears are moving on from a 26-year-old running back.
Chicago traded Khalil Herbert to the Bengals in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick on Tuesday, the team announced.
Herbert had appeared to be in the Bears plans after rushing for 731 and 611 yards, respectively, in each of the last two seasons.
But the fourth-year player out of Virginia Tech had fallen out of favor this season after Chicago added former Detroit standout D’Andre Swift.
Second-year player Roschon Johnson has also played ahead of Herbert, who played in 48 games with the Bears since being selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The veteran appeared in five games for the team this season, recording eight carries for 16 yards.
Cincinnati has a need at running back with Zack Moss out indefinitely with a neck issue. Starter Chase Brown carried the ball 27 times in a win against the Raiders on Sunday, and there isn’t a ton of proven depth behind him.
The deal was one of the first to be reported on Tuesday ahead of the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m.