There will be no competition for Justin Field’s backup job. Hours after introducing new backup quarterback P.J. Walker, the Bears announced they had released Trevor Siemian.
In 2022, the Bears signed Siemian to a two-year deal worth $4 million to be the team’s No. 2 quarterback. According to Spotrac, the Bears will incur $500,000 in dead money for letting go of Siemian one year early.
Siemian played in two games for the Bears last season, and started one. In those two appearances he completed 15-26 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He nearly missed one of those games, in one of the most confusing pregame situations in recent memory. The Bears entered Week 12’s game against the Jets with Fields as a game time decision, as Fields nursed a shoulder injury. After warmups, Fields was made inactive and an announcement was made that Trevor Siemian would be the starter. Just moments after that however, the Bears sent this tweet.
However, when the Bears offense took the field for the game it was Siemian under center, not Peterman.
“Honestly, I’m more embarrassed,” Siemian said about the situation after the game. “We’ve got guysー what are we, Week 13, Week 12?ー who are going through hell and I have a non-contact thing show up. So, yeah, not ideal, but everyone’s going through something at this point in the year.”
So Siemian decided to power through his oblique injury. That decision may have cost him the rest of his season, however. One week later, Siemian underwent surgery to repair his hurt oblique and he never suited up for the Bears again.
There’s a chance the Bears take a flier on a rookie QB in one of the later rounds of the 2023 draft, but Walker will likely retain the backup job. He’s a better replacement for Fields in the offense than Siemian was, and already has a relationship with new No. 1 wide receiver DJ Moore from their time together in Carolina.
Walker played in 15 games for the Panthers and had a 4-3 record as a starter. Over his entire Panthers career, Walker completed 57.5% of his passes for 1,461 yards, five touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
