The Chicago Bears had one of the better off-seasons of any team in the NFL. GM Ryan Poles did a great job addressing his team’s needs. Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze gave them more firepower at wide receiver. Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton provide depth and competition at center. D’Andre Swift brings more explosiveness to running back. Austin Booker gives them sorely needed speed off the edge. Still, not everything was addressed to the satisfaction of some. One area remains a bone of contention.
That is the backup quarterback spot.
The Bears made it clear that #1 overall pick Caleb Williams is the unquestioned starter moving forward. Nobody disputes that. It was expected. However, there is a lingering concern about the quarterback room’s overall lack of experience. Chicago’s other options include Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien, and rookie Austin Reed. Those three combine for less than ten total starts in the NFL. That makes a lot of people uncomfortable, both because it doesn’t give Williams a veteran brain to pick and because of uncertain stability if he went down with an injury. It is why many wonder if the Bears might look to add somebody with a longer track record. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune addressed this dilemma, making it clear where the team stands.
My first reaction is what veteran quarterback is on the street who is worth a look and would want the job? My hunch is the Bears like the idea of developing Tyson Bagent as a No. 2 quarterback, and with Brett Rypien having some experience and undrafted rookie Austin Reed in place, I’m not sure the Bears are looking at this the same way…
…The Bears have a collection of coaches to develop Caleb Williams, starting with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph, passing game coordinator Thomas Brown and offensive assistants Ryan Griffin and Robbie Picazo. Williams will have no shortage of support staff to lean on as he adapts as a professional.
The Chicago Bears’ stance isn’t all that surprising.
Bagent played pretty well last season across his four starts and other backup appearances. He showcased poise and confidence and made enough plays to help them win a couple of games. That is all teams can ask from a backup quarterback. Rather than shift to an older veteran, they would prefer to continue this project, which has shown signs of legitimate progress. For one thing, he is cheaper than somebody like Ryan Tannehill would be. For another, he won’t muddy the waters behind Williams.
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The only way this changes is if Bagent either gets hurt or shows serious regression from last season. Maybe he doesn’t mesh with Shane Waldron’s new offense. However, that seems unlikely. His work ethic and ability to absorb information quickly are among the reasons Bagent won the backup job in the first place. He isn’t one to get thrown out of sorts by such changes. The Chicago Bears are content to let him continue growing, and he is certain to be an asset to Williams in various ways.
