As the rest of the NFL was working on signing players to help bolster their rosters during the legal negotiating window, the Bears remained quiet.
Chicago’s “moves” involved re-signing Mario Edwards Jr. and restructuring some contracts. Other than that the Bears did absolutely nothing on Monday.
The only noise relating to the Bears was the multiple quarterbacks the team was linked to. It started with Andy Dalton and later it was Jameis Winston.
Stadium’s Shams Charania broke the news Winston will be re-signing with the Saints. Dalton, on the other hand, is still available. And he could be the quarterback possibly heading to Chicago.
The next QB domino to fall could be Andy Dalton and one league source said he believes the Red Rifle could be headed to the #Bears. https://t.co/4ojjalQkHj
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 16, 2021
If the Bears’ master plan includes having Dalton and Nick Foles as the quarterbacks for the 2021 NFL season, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy should start packing their bags, adjusting their resumes and looking for a new place to work.
Dalton doesn’t provide an upgrade at the quarterback position. The Bears finished 8-8 the past two seasons and would be lucky to reach that mark with the 33-year-old Dalton.
Of course, when Biggs’ tweet came out, Bears fans weren’t happy about the news.
(Just go check out the comments on the tweet above. There are some really good ones.)
Quick thoughts on Andy Dalton possibly heading to the #Bears. Nothing is official yet. pic.twitter.com/hvftolJR7R
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) March 16, 2021
But there is no way Dalton and Foles would be the options moving forward, right? Even an organization as incompetent as the Bears knows better, right? Or do they?
Three scenarios come to mind as to how acquiring Dalton could fit in with the Bears’ plans.
First Scenario
Foles is traded and Dalton becomes the backup because Chicago is all in on Russell Wilson. The Bears present the Seahawks with a trade they can’t refuse and finally give in and trade Wilson.
This would be the ideal option for Bears fans, considering the monumental let down it would be to have Dalton as the starter. Also, the Bears get a finished product in Wilson and don’t have to risk going through the draft, especially since Chicago would have to give up numerous picks to make the trade happen.
The Bears get their franchise quarterback they have been coveting for the last 70 years. And in case Wilson were to miss a game for whatever reason, which is unlikely since he started every game (144) in the last nine seasons, Dalton would be a reliable backup option.
If the Bears do acquire Dalton, that doesn’t eliminate them from trading for a quarterback — if one becomes available.
Second Scenario
Dalton and Foles remain on the roster and the Bears take another swing at quarterback in the draft.
Over the years, Pace has shown a tendency to make several moves at one position.
- Quarterback in 2017 — Mitch Trubisky and Mike Glennon
- Wide Receiver in 2018 — Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller
- Tight End in 2020 — Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet
Ideally, Chicago wouldn’t have to move up in the draft, possibly taking a guy like Alabama’s Mac Jones with the No. 20 overall pick.
Drafting a quarterback could buy Pace and Nagy some time, maybe even another season. Especially if Jones took over, let’s say, after eight games and showed some promise in his limited play. That might just be enough to entice chairman George McCaskey to run it back with the current regime.
Having two veteran quarterbacks in place also prevents the organization from playing a rookie before he is ready. In 2017, Trubisky didn’t have that luxury because Glennon was abysmal in his first four games in Chicago. The Bears get their second chance to develop a quarterback, which, naturally, should make fans uneasy.
Third Scenario
The Bears believe Dalton and Foles are enough to win.
With jobs on the line for this upcoming 2021 season, Pace puts all his faith in what he believes to be a playoff caliber roster and adds a few pieces to try and make the Bears legitimate contenders. Unlike years past, the Bears have a first-, second- and third-round pick. All of which can be used to fill the holes on offense.
Out of all the scenarios, this one scares me the most because the Bears may be crazy enough to go with it.
In the end of the season press conference, Pace and Nagy both backed up Foles, referencing that the veteran quarterback’s situation wasn’t ideal. So it may not be out of the question to see Foles get a second chance.
When the Bears were looking for competition for Trubisky, Dalton was someone they were linked to. Instead, Chicago traded away a fourth-round draft pick and signed Foles to a three-year, $24 million deal. A year later, the Bears are clearly still interested in Dalton and may want to give him an opportunity at the starting job.
However, there is one thing this Bears organization has proven since Pace became GM in 2015: they can’t get the quarterback position right.
Whether it’s drafting, developing or signing a quarterback, Chicago has failed each and every time. So, why do the Bears magically get things right this season? That wouldn’t fit with the organization’s track record.
The Bears haven’t made one move yet, but it’s loud and clear the fanbase is fed up and wanting more from an organization that has given so little in return over the last three decades.
Not sure what you guys or any of these other geniuses were thinking was going to happen?? Who else was available? You guys didn’t want Smith, Fitzpatrick, Winston and Watson/Wilson isn’t getting traded. There also isn’t a great chance we could draft anyone either and Foles tends to get hurt so you need someone else. He is much better than Glennon and Trubumski, but he isn’t better than Foles who won a SB and beat the Bears in the playoffs the next year and has a passing title. It doesn’t inspire confidence, but there was really nobody left and the draft is a crap shoot. Guarantee he won’t have 99 passing yards with 2 mins left in a playoff game, or run out of bounds short of the marker when they go for it on 4th down in a playoff game!! He is light years better than Trubumski and will improve the QB play if we have to go with him or Foles. Keep blocking like they did the end of the year with running the ball and a still great defense and you can win some game, the SB though??? Nah I don’t think so.