I have taken apart the extruder motor, and it appears as though the bearing is totally shot. There was a bit of plastic collected in the gears of the motor, but it flaked away with ease and I don't suspect that was the issue.
Attached are some pics. Is the only way to acquire a replacement bearing through purchasing an entire extruder motor?
Many thanks for the help.
You can find that bearing in any hardware/ DIY store. It's 683 zz 3mm bearing.