Matt Nagy is nothing if not consistent. Through his first two years as Chicago Bears head coach, he did a number of things with the roster that established how he preferred to operate. Rookies rarely played if it could be avoided. Tight end and interior blocking get top priority on the offensive side. However, there is one overlooked aspect he’s gone with this point that may have to change this year.
Carrying more than two quarterbacks.
Through his first two seasons, Nagy has gone with the two-QB approach. The starter (Mitch Trubisky) and his backup (Chase Daniel). This enabled the team to release an extra roster spot for another position of need. Another QB (Tyler Bray) was kept on the practice squad for emergencies in case of injury. However, the presence of the coronavirus might force Nagy to adjust.
Albert Breer of the MMQB pointed this out. Depending on how the league mandates quarantine procedures, it may urge teams to carry an extra quarterback on the roster.
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“Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio raised a really good point on Saturday, asking if teams should keep a spare quarterback in quarantine. And I can tell you that some teams have already discussed this internally, which makes sense given the importance of the position. If the NFL implements strict rules over quarantining players who test positive, or are around it (definitely possible), that could force the issue for teams.”
Matt Nagy might have to consider trying to upgrade QB3
Given how easy it is for a virus to spread even despite strict medical procedures, this could force the Bears into a tough decision. Not only could they end up carrying three quarterbacks on the roster instead of two. They might also have to think about see if they can upgrade that third spot with somebody more capable than Bray. While the man has served the team well during training camp and preseason in the past, he doesn’t make one feel comfortable with the prospect of actually seeing him play on Sundays.
Chicago can definitely do better. A number of serviceable quarterbacks remain available. Cam Newton is the biggest one by a wide margin though he might cost a bit more. The ageless Josh McCown is still out there as is Matt Moore who played for the Chiefs last season. So there would be a nice connection for Nagy to exploit. This is something to watch as the NFL hashes out its plans for playing games in a coronavirus world.