There will be plenty of intriguing roster battles for the Chicago Bears to sort out between now and the end of August. They still don’t have a definitive starter at center between Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton. The bottom three wide receiver sports are up for grabs. Edge rusher is another conundrum with uncertainty across from Montez Sweat. One also must not forget the backup running back spot behind D’Andre Swift. Yet one position has curiously gone undiscussed for the most part: backup quarterback.
Getting Caleb Williams at #1 overall looks like a boon for the organization. However, it’s important to remember no Bears quarterback has started a full season since 2009. The backup spot can prove crucial to the team’s season if they get it wrong. That is why former scouting director Greg Gabriel pointed out on Windy City Gridiron that an interesting competition is coming together at that spot. While he acknowledged Brett Rypien as a member of the battle, he hinted it may come down to the other two names involved.
Tyson Bagent and rookie Austin Reed.
With the offensive scheme being very similar to what it was a year ago, Bagent may be the perfect choice to be the Bears’ backup.
Personally, I like his makeup. He’s both talented and tough and has the attitude that he wants to be a very good NFL player. Preseason will be important for Bagent as he needs to show that he has improved. The previous offensive staff had a lot of confidence in Bagent, but he does have to prove to the new offensive staff that he can get the job done. I have no doubt that he will…
…Reed started at Division II West Florida, leading them to a D-II National Championship in 2021. He then transferred to Western Kentucky in 2022 and threw for over 8,000 yards and 71 TDs the last two seasons.
Reed is athletic and has very good arm talent, but he can be a little reckless with the ball, as he threw for 22 interceptions in the last two seasons. The talent is obvious; the question is, can he pick up an NFL offense and win a game if he has to play?
The Chicago Bears are gambling on talent over experience.
Multiple experts have expressed concern over the team’s unwillingness to sign a more seasoned veteran. Somebody who could serve as a great sounding board for Williams as he navigates the NFL transition. Thus far, the Bears have seemed content with their current room. They don’t want to muddy the waters around Williams. It is important to remember they tried this approach with Justin Fields when they had Nick Foles and Andy Dalton. That proved to be a disaster. So instead, they’ve decided to focus on developing young guys with notable upside. Bagent and Reed fit that bill.
Bagent already showed promise last year, going 2-2 as a starter in place of an injured Fields. The challenge for him is trying to win over a different coaching staff headlined by Shane Waldron. His schematic demands are likely different from Luke Getsy’s. Unlearning one offense and learning another isn’t easy. Reed is handpicked by this new staff as an undrafted rookie. That may give him a slight advantage. It may come down to how many quarterbacks the Chicago Bears want on the roster. History says it will be two. That places greater importance on the battle to come.
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