There are plenty of paths the Chicago Bears can travel en route to the franchise’s next quarterback, but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has a specific vision.
“In Chicago, it’s either going to be (Tony) Romo or (Jimmy) Garoppolo,” Jeremiah said in an interview with Rich Eisen. “That’s the sense I get.”
Romo and Garoppolo are the two highest-profile quarterbacks who figure to be available this offseason. Neither is a free agent, but both have been at the center of trade rumors throughout the offseason. The Bears have reportedly been fixated on Garoppolo as their top priority for some time, while Romo has been more of a darkhorse option (even though one sportsbook earlier listed the Bears as the favorite to land him) whose acquisition and availability where at the whim of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
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Jeremiah believes Romo should want to go to Houston, a move that would keep him and his family in the state of Texas, and where he could join a competitive team that Jones and the Cowboys don’t have to compete with directly. Other teams in the hunt could include Kansas City (which could be looking for someone who can do a little more than Alex Smith) and Denver (which could push back the Paxton Lynch era, allowing him more time to develop behind a steady veteran presence).
No matter where Romo goes, it’s likely his contract will be tied to his health. And that includes Chicago, a place where Jeremiah says things might look better than perceived.
“I think you have some things you can sell him on that maybe people don’t see from the outside,” Jeremiah said, citing the Bears’ interior offensive line, running back Jordan Howard, a potential re-signing of Alshon Jeffery, and a young front-seven with upside as reasons for hope. “I don’t think that Chicago team is as bad as their record might indicate.”
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Although the Bears finished just 3-13 in 2016 – their worst record in the 16-game era – there are positive signs already on the roster, high picks coming in the draft, and significant financial flexibility this offseason.
Then again, even if the Bears are not quite “3-13” bad, does Romo see them as good enough to be his next playoff team?