If the Bears select Caleb Williams, they have the option to select a more seasoned backup quarterback from among the many potentials with differing degrees of track record.
The Bears’ quarterback question consumes all of my attention.
But soon, there might be another one picking at them.
The Bears will have another issue if they determine that dealing Justin Fields is the best course of action. Not one, but two quarterbacks will be required. Caleb Williams would be one, of course. They would then require one more.
This isn’t necessarily in favour of the Andy Dalton/Fields or Mike Glennon/Mitchell Trubisky reenactments, but it is more than just necessary to find another one.
You’ll recall the catastrophe in Glennon. When Trubisky was ready, he was supposed to be the bridge, but in reality, he was a bridge to nowhere. Following his arrival and three years of $43.5 million from Ryan Pace, Glennon declared to the world, “This is My Year,” going 1-3 with five interceptions, five fumbles, eight sacks, and a 76.9 passer rating. After that, John Fox said that Trubisky’s squad was in charge, for better or worse, and the big man’s “year” was finished.
You’ll also recall that Dalton signed a one-year, $10 million contract and immediately took over as the team’s starter, forcing Justin Fields into an extremely challenging scenario behind two seasoned quarterbacks on a struggling team that was about to disintegrate. Apart from Dalton, they still had previous MVP of the Super Bowl Nick Foles, who then reiterated Glennon’s declaration, “This is my time.” His tenure was shorter than Glennon’s.
Before suffering a knee injury, Dalton started one whole game and nearly half of another. After that, he only appeared as Fields’ backup when the rookie was hurt.
And that’s precisely the point: Dalton was out of the starting lineup for 1 and a half games.
If the Bears draft Caleb Williams and move on from Justin Fields, it leaves them with the rookie from USC at quarterback and Tyson Bagent, he of 4 1/2 games experience after Division II ball without being drafted.
Is that how much experience you want to go into an NFL season with at QB?
If the Bears go into training camp with Caleb Williams as starter and Bagent as a backup, they need a veteran on the staff to be the real backup in case of a Williams injury.
The Bagent five-interception game against New Orleans is still fresh in everyone’s memory, when his lack of arm strength got exposed against a non-playoff team.
There’s always Nathan Peterman, if they want to bring back someone with a career 39.4 passer rating.
A new offense and coordinator is a good time for a fresh start at starting quarterback and also, then, at backup QB.
Here are veteran free agents who could be available if the Bears want to go shopping for a proper backup to Caleb Williams, rather than have one who throws five interceptions or one with a career passer rating lower than his completion percentage.
When you get past the potential starting quarterbacks who will be free agents, like Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill, there is a long list of possible backups.
Some are experienced enough and good enough to start for a period of time in case of an injury to Williams.
Drew Lock
The backup who learned Waldron’s system last year would be the ideal Bears backup behind Williams. He’d even be fine under Fields if they chose to go that route. He got to throw only 76 passes in four games and two starts within Waldron’s offense last year but won a big start against the Eagles. He posted respectable 7.1 yards per attempt lasty ear with 63.2% completions, three TDs and three interceptions and has 28 TDs to 23 interceptions for his four-season, 23-start career. He made $4 million last year.
Jacoby Brissett
Matt Eberflus coached with the Colts when they had Brissett as a backup. He was there a year before Eberflus arrived and was with the Colts from 2017 through 2020. Brissett first earned his reputation for being able to pick up first downs on quarterback sneaks — without help from the so-called “tush push” while with the Colts. He had a 7-8 record as starter with an 88.0 passer rating in 2019 when they had to use him as starter after Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement announcement. That 88.0 passer rating was higher than Fields has posted and the only Bears QB with a higher one since Fields came to the team was the 98.0 by Foles in 2021 when he only threw passes in one game. The one drawback with Brissett is his cost. He got paid $8 million last year to back up Sam Howell.
Mitchell Trubisky
Now available. Been there, done that.
Tyrod Taylor
You can do much worse than a 35-year-old, 13-year veteran who has an 88.3 passer rating, with 65 TD passes to 29 interceptions. Taylor has a .500 career record (28-28-1) when starting, and not many backups can say that. He was only a starter three years in his career and spent the last two with the Giants, who apparently have the successor to Tony Soprano now as a backup, former Illini QB Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito. He made $5.5 million last year and Spotrac.com projects him at $3.3 million.
Marcus Mariota
The Eagles had him for a year at $5 million. He last posted an 88.2 passer rating for the Falcons as starter with a 5-8 record in 2022 and did it with a rock solid 7.4 yards per attempt. Mariota’s statistics read like a successful career starter with an 89.2 passer rating and 62.7% completions with 7.5 yards per attempt for 90 games and 74 starts. His stats in 2022 were much better than the two QBs the Falcons used as starters last year.
Sam Darnold
He never lived up to the draft status but is still only 26, was paid $4.5 million last year and gained valuable experience in a 49ers system which is similar to the wide zone type of attack the Bears have been running and probably like the one the Waldron will install. Darnold’s 59.7% completion rate for 56 starts (21 wins) and a 78.3 passer rating suggest he’ll never be a starter but for one six-game stretch in Carolina he did have an 8.2 yards=per-attempt in 2022 and a 92.6 passer rating, and this suggests there could be something in there yet untapped by the Jets and Panthers. Last year the 49ers gave him only one start and he threw 46 passes in a loss.
Tyler Huntley
Periodic injuries to Lamar Jackson have given Huntley a chance to play over his four seasons and he has a 3-6 record as a starter and even played in two playoff games with one start in 2022. His numbers are unimpressive with eight TD passes and seven interceptions and 56.8% completions. Earned $2.63 million lastyear.
Joe Flacco
The Browns would be silly to let him get away after the way he saved their season last year and got them into the playoffs, including a comeback win over the Bears. What Flacco can do is well known and his stats He made $2.5 million last year. His 245 TD passes to 155 interceptions and a Super Bowl ring are valuable backup assets. They were good enough to get the Browns a 4-1 regular-season record in his starts.
Carson Wentz
His 89.4 career passer rating for 93 starts and 95 games stand out. Consistency has been an issue with 62.7% completions and his struggles since playing for the Eagles in their Super Bowl year have led to a low 6.7 yards per attempt. Still, he’ more than capable of being a backup for a team. His past does not speak well for his ability to be a leader, though. He signed a $1.3 million deal last year for one year with the Rams as a backup.
Mason Rudolph
He did enough as Steelers third-stringer to get them to sign him again and they cut Trubisky, but this doesn’t mean he’ll be back in Pittsburgh after leading them to three regular-season wins in three 2023 games. An 86.9 career passer rating, including 118.0 last season on 55 of 74 (74.3%) with three TDs and no interceptions spoke for his potential. He made $1.08 million last year.
Brandon Allen
He was also part of San Francisco’s QB group last year but didn’t play. When Allen last played he posted a 97.2 passer rating and for his career as a backup has 10 TD passes, six interceptions but for his career completed only 56.7%. He played in only nine games in four years. Made $1.23 million last year.
Joshua Dobbs
A red hot start when called upon to replace Kirk Cousins last year quickly faded after the Bears held an interception fest at his expense. He finished with 13 TD passes and 13 interceptions. He made $2 million last year but Spotrac.com remains unconvinced after his poor finish and projects him at $6.7 million a year.
Kyle Allen
After a strong start in a backup role with three seasons in four posting a 98.6 passer rating or better, he’s been largely inactive the last two years with Houston and Buffalo. He has 26 TD passes to 21 interceptions with a career passer rating of 82.2 but only a 6.7 yards per attempt. He has decent experience with 19 starts and 30 games played. He made $1.23 million last year.
Gardner Minshew
In the aftermath of Anthony Richardson’s knee injury last season, the Colts began him. Despite having decent numbers, Minshew appears to be everyone’s backup and is unable to get anyone to give him a genuine opportunity to start. For 49 games and 37 starts, he has a 90.2 passer rating; he had a 93.1 rating for 20 games with the terrible Jacksonville team. When the defence is on his side, Minshew is the type of quarterback who can win games. 59 touchdown passes to 24 interceptions for the Shew. He isn’t known for having a long arm, but he has averaged 7.0 yards per attempt. Despite being acquired, he started for the Colts last season and earned a 7-6 record in Jonathan Gannon’s first season as coach.
