Why Simms doesn't envision Bears trading for Deshaun Watson

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With Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace moving forward with the team, the next biggest question for the Bears this offseason moves to the quarterback position. Chiefly, will the team bring back Mitchell Trubisky?

As things stand, Nick Foles seems locked in to the roster after the Bears traded for him last offseason. But Trubisky is a free agent, and Sunday Night Football’s Chris Simms thinks the Bears could sign him to a team-friendly deal if they want.

“Nobody’s going to be breaking down doors to say, ‘We need to sign Mitchell Trubisky to a $30 million a year deal,’” Simms told NBC Sports Chicago.

But it doesn’t make much sense for the Bears to pay two QBs backup money, especially since they have limited cap space to make a play for a starter. Simms agrees it’s unlikely Trubisky returns to Chicago, but wouldn’t go as far as to say that’s the right decision.

“I’m not necessarily sure that I agree with it, totally,” Simms said. “Totally understand it. I just think that Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace are going to exhaust all avenues to get somebody else in there.”

So if not Trubisky, then who? Deshaun Watson is certainly the buzziest option after reports came out that he’s unhappy in Houston. He’s also easily the most talented.

“Watson is special, but you’re going to have to give away the farm to get him,” Simms said. “That’s just something you’re going to have to be ready to do. You’re probably going to have to give away three first-round draft picks, and maybe some more stuff to go along with it. It’s going to be something of that nature to get Deshaun Watson. I don’t envision that happening, I don’t.”

The most likely avenues for the Bears to find their next quarterback are the draft, and free agency. Whichever route the Bears decide to take, they will have ample choices, too.

“There are some options in the draft,” Simms said. “There’s I think five guys in that first round conversation. You’re not going to get Trevor Lawrence. More than likely you’re not going to get Justin Fields unless you trade up. More than likely you won’t get the guy from BYU, Zack Wilson, unless you trade up or do something like that. So that leaves the kid (Trey) Lance from North Dakota State, and then the kid from Alabama (Mac Jones). Do you want to go that route? That’s something the Bears are going to have to figure out.

“Then the free agency route, listen, we don’t know what’s going to be there yet. We don’t know. But we know there’s some intriguing possibilities. Listen, if I’m taking over the regime in Atlanta, I’m moving on from Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. What are we supposed to hang on to them just so we can try to replace them two or three years from now? Let’s just move on now and start going. The Detroit Lions, I’d do the same thing with Matt Stafford and all that, too. He could be there. The Jets with Sam Darnold. Jimmy Garoppolo could be available… there’s going to be plenty of avenues to find a guy.”

 

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