10 quarterbacks Bears could get with Wentz off the board
Carson Wentz is off the board. No matter how you feel about the Bears missing out the Eagles QB, the fact is Ryan Pace must now turn his attention elsewhere to find the next team’s next starting quarterback. Let’s operate under the assumption that a Mitchell Trubisky reunion is not a part of anyone’s plans, and Pace and Matt Nagy have seen enough to preclude them from giving Nick Foles another shot. Fortunately, there are still plenty of options available to the Bears in free agency, and reportedly via trade as well.
Current situation: under contract with the Texans
The granddaddy of them all. Everyone knows the story, so no need to rehash it here. Watson wants out of Houston, but the Texans will try their hardest to convince him to stay. There’s no reason for Houston to move Watson quickly, so if anything happens it will likely happen when push comes to shove and Watson starts holding out. If a trade does come to pass, the question still remains whether Pace will pony up the bounty of picks required to bring Watson to Chicago.
Current situation: under contract with the Jets
There’s a chance the Jets hold on to Darnold and use their No. 2 overall pick on an impact player to help their offense. Then again, the Jets could trade away Darnold for even more picks, then take another rookie QB in the draft. If they go that latter route, the Bears could be in the mix. For what it’s worth, that’s who Field Yates predicts starting Week 1 for the Bears in 2021.
Current situation: under contract with the Raiders
While rumors have swirled that Carr could be available for trade, it seems like it would take a lot to convince the Raiders to deal him. Pace has certainly never shied away from splashy trades, and could do it again if he identifies Carr as his guy. Maybe a three-way deal where Watson lands in Las Vegas could be the key to making this happen?
Current situation: under contract with the Raiders
According to The Athletic, the Raiders would prefer to move Mariota over Carr. The Raiders backup QB made only one start last season, but he played pretty well in an overtime loss. In that one game, Mariota might have earned himself another starting opportunity with another team.
Current situation: under contract with 49ers
Rumors suggest the 49ers could move on from Garoppolo, but only if they get a significant upgrade. With Stafford already in Los Angeles, the only man left who may qualify is Deshaun Watson. If San Francisco wins the Watson sweepstakes, and Garoppolo isn’t a part of the deal, the Niners would have to move Garoppolo in another deal, or cut him. Yes, that’s a lot of “ifs,” but if everything breaks that way, Garoppolo could be an option for Pace to bring in.
Current situation: free agent
The Bears had the chance to sign Newton a year ago, and decided to trade for Nick Foles instead, so bringing him in this year seems unlikely. But maybe the Bears saw something on tape that they liked and they’re inspired to sign the former MVP.
Current situation: free agent
Similar to Newton, the Bears had the chance to sign Dalton in 2020 and passed. However since the Bears were so impressed with how they rebounded after a six-game losing streak, maybe they’ll covet how Dalton helped the Cowboys finish the season winning three of four games, after losing four of five when Dak Prescott was injured.
Current situation: free agent
Fitzpatrick has played for eight teams, why not make the Bears the ninth? He showed he’s still got juice in Miami last year, and often looked better than Tua Tagovailoa despite losing his job to the rookie midway through the season. Head coach Brian Flores must have agreed, since he benched Tagovailoa for Fitzpatrick midway through several games this season. Going forward it seems unlikely Fitz sticks in South Beach though.
Current situation: free agent
Brissett has been the Colts’ super sub since he joined the team in 2017. When Andrew Luck surprised the league by retiring before the 2019 season, Brissett steadied the ship and played well with an 18:6 TD:INT ratio with four rushing touchdowns too. There’s a decent shot he gets a chance to start again and could end up in Chicago.
Current situation: Bears hold No. 20 overall pick
Taking a swing at another rookie QB is certainly not out of the question either. Pace has often moved up in the draft to get his guy, and if he identifies someone in the 2021 class as the Bears’ best bet, you can bet Pace will make a move to grab him. Drafts are unpredictable too. Nobody truly knows how every team fills out their big board, so a QB could unexpectedly drop to the Bears.
