Most people will turn their noses up at the idea of taking an undrafted quarterback seriously. That is easy to understand. Most undrafted players in general tend to be little more than cannon fodder during training camp. However, once in a blue moon a player slips through the cracks that turn out to be good. Quarterback is no different. Tony Romo? Jake Delhomme? Kurt Warner? Jeff Garcia? All didn’t get any love on draft day but found success in the league regardless. What can the harm be for the Chicago Bears to give somebody a shot?
Thus far they’ve remained quiet on that front. Despite signing 11 undrafted players in the past few days, none of them were quarterbacks. As things stand, the Bears will go into training camp this summer with three guys in Mitch Trubisky, Nick Foles, and Tyler Bray. That’s unusual given how QB-centric their coaching staff has become. One would think guys like Bill Lazor and John DeFilippo would relish working on a side project of some sort.
The good news is the market isn’t exactly picked clean of options just yet. Here are a few names that should interest them.
Undrafted market still has QB options for Chicago Bears
Mason Fine (North Texas)
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Fine became a household name down at North Texas. People who watch him will get visions of Russell Wilson. The escapability. The live arm. Even the knack for delivering under pressure. Being a 5’11 quarterback is never easy coming into the NFL. That is undoubtedly a big reason why he’s not signed yet. Still, the production speaks for itself. He threw for over 12,000 yards and 93 touchdowns. There were plenty of magic moments along the way and he elevated the team to their best run of success in over a decade.
Kaleb Barker (Troy)
It’s fair to wonder if Barker would’ve been draft if not for an untimely knee injury his junior year. Yet what’s most impressive is how he bounced back from it. He finished with 3,648 yards, 30 TDs, and 10 interceptions as a senior with some big-time games along the way. He gave eventual bowl winner Arkansas State all they could handle in a 50-43 shootout, throwing four TD passes. Barker is a bit undersized at 6’1 but he has a live arm, throws well on the run and seems to have a strong head for the game. Resiliency also isn’t a concern with him.
Tom Flacco (Towson)
The name is obviously familiar. Tom is the younger brother of Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco. He doesn’t have the same arm or size, the Tom made his own name in college. After not getting an opportunity at Western Michigan, he transferred to Towson where he led them to their first FCS playoff appearance in five years, throwing 28 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. What he lacks in pure arm talent he makes up for in speed. This guy can run like lightning. He also has a reputation for improvisation, making big plays out of nothing. The bloodlines are an obvious positive as well.
Roland Rivers (Slippery Rock)
A kid that never got to truly play quarterback when he started college at Valdosta State. So he transferred to Slippery Rock where he went on to blossom. After throwing for 1,806 yards, 19 TDs, and six interceptions in 2018, he exploded the next year. En route to a Harlon Hill award for best player in Divison II, he posted 4,460 yards with 52 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Slippery Rock made it to the semifinals of the national championship tournament for the first time in 21 years. He has size (6’3), moves well, and is touted for his accuracy and ability to make plays under pressure. His arm strength though is average.
Shea Patterson (Michigan)
Nobody will ever accuse Patterson of having an elite arm or size. Still, being such a battle-tested quarterback in a top college conference? He can run and throws accurately. One would think a team could see value having him on a roster. Patterson had two solid seasons for the Wolverines in 2018 and 2019. This included big wins over Penn State and Michigan State. Unfortunately, he was constantly haunted by his inability to beat Ohio State or deliver in big games despite it not always being his fault. That said, this kid has enough ability to survive in the NFL as a long-term backup.
