A lot of Chicago Bears are left wondering how 2021 might’ve been different. Everybody remembers what happened back in the spring. That crazy multi-week period where Russell Wilson made it clear he’d accept a trade out of Seattle. Even offering a list of four teams he’d go to. One of them being the Bears. This immediately got the attention of head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace. They did everything possible to get the seven-time Pro Bowler.
It was so close too. Pace and Seahawks GM John Schneider met at the North Dakota State pro day in Fargo to discuss details. It seemed like a deal was agreed to. A large package of draft picks for Wilson. However, Pete Carroll had the final say roster decisions in Seattle. He nixed the deal, not wanting to start over at age 70. No doubt he felt things would work out. Fix a few things on offense and Wilson would be happy. Now here the Seahawks are, 5-9 and out of the playoff picture for the first time since 2011.
The Bears seemed to suffer too.
With no definitive solution at quarterback, they opted for a combination of veteran Andy Dalton and 1st round pick Justin Fields. The results were as disappointing as one would expect. Chicago is 4-10, en route to their first losing season since 2017. Nagy is sitting on the hot seat with nowhere left to run. Odds are high he’ll be fired by next month. His demeanor over the past few weeks says it all.
No doubt the head coach has to be wondering if things might’ve been different if the Wilson deal had gone through. Getting a future Hall of Famer at quarterback solves everything, right? Well, some people aren’t so sure of that. Brag Biggs of the Chicago Tribune got in touch with sources around the NFL. One current scout didn’t sound overly convinced that Wilson would’ve moved the needle as much as people think. Not in Nagy’s system.
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“It just depends on how Nagy would coach him, if the Bears had gotten Wilson,” a veteran scout said. “Would he have been willing to adapt more of his offensive structure to fit the instinctual traits of Russell Wilson? If he did that, yes, they would be better because they’ve been playing a rookie and Andy Dalton.
“There are a lot of factors that make this offense so poor. Will Fields get there? No one knows. They’re so bad on offense right now. They look disorganized.”
Matt Nagy track record says even Wilson would’ve struggled
Just look at the QBs that have seemed completely overmatched since coming under the head coach’s direction. Mitch Trubisky, a former #2 overall pick. Nick Foles, a former Super Bowl MVP. Andy Dalton, a former three-time Pro Bowler. Now Justin Fields, another 1st round pick. There is only one common denominator in that group and it’s Nagy. He had several opportunities to make his offense work and has wasted them all.
Wilson is a terrific quarterback who can do so many things. Yet he’s still one man. It is hard to imagine he’d have been able to overcome the nonsensical game plans, constant confusion in play calling, iffy protection, and receivers that never seem to get open enough. The word “disorganized” was a perfect description. Matt Nagy never found an identity on offense and it shows with the constant confusion and lack of discipline.
Wilson might’ve covered some of that enough.
Just not enough to make the Bears a true Super Bowl contender. So it that context, it might’ve been a blessing in disguise they ended up with Fields instead. He cost less money and picks to acquire. He’s much younger with room to grow. His best days are ahead of him. The Bears have a chance to reset and get the right people in place rather than delay what feels like the inevitable with Nagy.
