NEWSLETTER
It sounds like Andy Dalton has assurances that he will be the Bears’ starting quarterback in 2021.
But it doesn’t sound like the Bears are done reworking the quarterbacks room.
Kevin Fishbain (The Athletic) lays out a road map in which the Bears could bring on not just one, but TWO more quarterbacks. And while neither might be the one Bears fans have been craving all offseason, it could lead to a better QBs room and a path to getting it right at the position.
Here’s the skinny: The Bears, using a late-round pick, send Nick Foles packing. And with Foles due a roster bonus on March 20, Chicago could (should?) be motivated sellers. Once Foles is dealt with, Chicago could flip another late-round selection to the Jaguars in exchange for Gardner Minshew. Perhaps one of the compensatory sixth-round picks they were given for losing free agents last offseason would do the trick? Surely, the Jaguars would appreciate some draft capital. And why wouldn’t Jacksonville want to clean out the quarterbacks room ahead of Trevor Lawrence’s arrival? The more I talk through it, the less crazy the idea sounds.
I could argue that trading for Minshew made more sense before the Dalton signing. But there’s an easy case to be made for still trading for him, should Foles be moved off this roster. Minshew, 24, still has two years left on his rookie-scale contract. It would be nice to have a fall-back option should Dalton falter, flounder, fail, or end up injured in 2021. And that Minshew could be on the hook for another year after next is a neat bonus.
But that’s not where it ends, as Fishbain hints the Bears could still draft a quarterback after all that maneuvering. He doesn’t specify when and where, but I imagine everything is on the table. If someone from the upper crust unexpectedly falls to 20, drafting him should be a possibility. Maybe it’s a second-round option? Perhaps it’s a Day 3 dice roll. In theory, GM Ryan Pace should draft a QB. Firstly, he’s due. Secondly, the only other quarterback he has taken with a draft pick is now employed by the Bills. Thirdly, no one in the Bears’ QBs room should be guaranteed a spot, “assurances” be damned. Besides, Dalton has experience playing the mentor role form his time in Cincinnati. So this scenario wouldn’t bug him. All things considered, that’s a good thing since a QB room with three new quarterbacks taking residency could be reality.
It’s interesting how confident Fishbain seems in laying this out as a plausible scenario. No, it’s not sexy. But it’s feasible. More importantly, it represents an example of what good process looks like. Having a worthwhile veteran bridge, young player with upside, and a rookie who can grow seems like a good place to start when rebuilding that position room. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t my preference. However, it might be ideal at this point of the offseason.
