The NFL business can be a quick one for the majority of players who get to experience life in the league and only a select few stick around for multiple years, whether that's as a franchise starter or a career backup.
A few weeks back, Chicago Bears backup quarterback and former undrafted free agent Case Keenum shared with reporters that he can see fellow backup Tyson Bagent being one of those players who can spend "a long time" in the league.
That was high praise from the 11-year veteran who's experienced all the highs and lows that come with being a player in the NFL.
Hungry is one of the traits Keenum highlighted about the 2023 UDFA out of Shepherd, a quality that will continue to drive Bagent's career forward.
Another thing that helps you stay in the league for a long time is consistency, something another former long-time quarterback shared when asked about Bagent's career potential being a current backup quarterback.
"You just have to be consistent," Chase Daniel explained on the Bears Etc. Podcast. "This is the business of the NFL, unfortunately. This is just the hand you're dealt. That doesn't mean you're never going to get the chance to start again."
Since joining the Bears, Bagent has appeared in four total games as a starter, all coming in 2023 starting in place of an injured Justin Fields. He's yet to appear in a regular season game since the Bears drafted Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Having a quarterback like Williams in the room makes it difficult to see the field, something Bagent would ideally like for himself to showcase his talents. Instead, it's all about staying ready at a moment's notice like he did during his rookie season.
"I thought he played well in the games he played but there is a certain way to do things," Daniel added. "If you're number's called, you have to be ready. Whether it be injury or whatever. I do think that just being ready and being in the right situation."
No one knows that better than Daniel. The former UDFA out of Missouri spent 13 years in the NFL yet only appeared in five games as a starter. Four of those seasons were spent in New Orleans under head coach Sean Payton backing up Drew Brees, a first ballot Hall of Famer. Another three years were spent under head coach Andy Reid as the backup to Alex Smith.
Even though he didn't make a name for himself on the field, Daniel still had a habit of sticking around with great organizations by staying ready, knowing his stuff, and being an all-around incredible teammate.
Sticking around in a familiar system helps and it's something Bagent should consider when weighing his future options. NFL UDFA contracts are three-year deals, meaning Bagent is entering the final year of his deal in 2025.
If he's not extended before the end of the season, Bagent could explore playing elsewhere and maybe having a better shot at earning some play time, or choose to stay in Chicago under head coach Ben Johnson as Williams' backup.
As someone who's been in those shoes before, Daniels had some sound advice.
"The longer you can stay, the more helpful you can be to the starter, the better your relationship with the coaches, all the intangible stuff really you have to build up," Daniels said.
Playing and being QB1 somewhere is always every quarterback's goal and we'll soon see which path Bagent chooses and what that decision means for his NFL future.
