D’Andre Swift has spent the last two games carrying the ball 49 times against some unforgiving defenses. On Friday, he finally got to see someone who could eventually help lighten that load.

Kyle Monangai returned to Bears practice for the first time since suffering injuries against the New York Jets on Oct. 4. He participated on a limited basis and is questionable for Sunday night’s game against Tampa Bay.

That is progress, rather than a promise he will play. For a backfield that has been operating without him for a month, it was still a welcome sight.

“It’s amazing seeing him out there,” Swift told the Chicago Tribune. “What he’s been going through … it’s amazing seeing the brother out there.”

The timing gives Chicago another reason to appreciate that step. Tampa Bay brings a defense capable of making every rushing yard feel like a negotiation. The Bears have remained committed to the ground game during Monangai’s absence, but the production has become harder to find, and Swift has shouldered much of the responsibility.

Chicago averaged 196.3 rushing yards across the four games Monangai played, compared with 105.3 during the four he missed. That split does not belong entirely to one player. Different opponents, game situations and blocking performances affect those totals. It nevertheless illustrates how different the ground game has looked since the Bears lost an important part of their rotation.

Monangai had supplied 324 yards and three touchdowns on 60 carries before the injury, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. His last appearance included 146 rushing yards against the Jets. Chicago has been waiting to put that option back alongside Swift.

“Anytime Kyle’s out there it adds a whole other dynamic to our offense,” receiver Kalif Raymond told the Tribune.

Getting that dynamic back against Tampa would be helpful. Ben Johnson’s description of the Buccaneers’ defense on Friday made clear why.

“Chaos,” Johnson said when asked about the hallmarks of Todd Bowles’ scheme during his press conference.

Johnson explained that Tampa frequently uses a single-high safety structure, giving the defense another player near the line of scrimmage whom the offense must account for. Add the talent across its defensive front and at linebacker, and straightforward rushing opportunities become scarce.

The trouble can multiply when the run game fails. Bowles can then unleash his more unusual pressures against an offense facing second-and-long or an obvious passing situation.

That makes staying on schedule important for Caleb Williams and the entire offense. Monangai’s return would give Chicago another runner to help meet that challenge, although expecting him to solve it immediately would be asking plenty after one limited practice.

There is also the question of protecting Swift over the longer season. Swift carried 22 times against New England and 27 against Seattle. He scored three touchdowns in the Seahawks victory, but reaching 69 yards required a physical evening’s work.

Johnson acknowledged Wednesday that the Bears are monitoring those demands.

“He’s not a guy that we want to wear down,” Johnson said. “We’re going to need him for the whole duration of the season.”

Monangai could help Chicago share that work more effectively. First, however, he has to be ready. Johnson offered no firm return date Friday, describing Monangai as improving while emphasizing how unpredictable toe injuries can be.

“Those toe injuries, those can be fickle at times,” he said.

The Bears have their bye after Tampa Bay, giving them another consideration as they decide whether Sunday is the right moment. Friday’s participation alone does not settle that decision.

For now, Chicago has something it had been missing throughout his absence: a practice appearance that represents a tangible step forward.

With another demanding defense arriving and Swift handling so much of the work, the prospect of restoring their backfield partnership comes at an appealing moment. The Bears still have to determine whether that moment has arrived this weekend.