Cutting P.J. Walker was a major statement from the Chicago Bears. GM Ryan Poles made it known that guaranteed money won’t save you from getting cut if you don’t perform. Walker looked uneven throughout training camp and didn’t help his case in the preseason either. His fate was sealed when Tyson Bagent came out firing, putting together three solid performances this month. However, people still weren’t sure if the Bears were prepared to make the undrafted rookie their primary backup behind Justin Fields.
There was still Nathan Peterman on the roster. The coaching staff seemed to love him, and he brought experience to the table. Maybe the team would choose to carry three quarterbacks. Such questions are no longer necessary. The Bears made their intentions crystal clear by releasing Peterman on Tuesday, paving the way for Bagent to become the first undrafted QB in modern team history to win the backup job. Not even Mike Tomczak and Caleb Hanie earned such honors.
Tyson Bagent is one of the best underdog stories in recent memory.
People aren’t truly grasping how rare this situation is. This guy comes from Division II. That is considered two steps below the top college ranks behind Division I and FCS. NFL rosters collect a total of 1,696 players every year. Estimates are Division II and Division III players hold 70 of those spots. That is 4.12%. Just making the roster was a huge accomplishment for Bagent. Yet he somehow topped that by beating out both Walker and Peterman for the backup job. Keep in mind both of those guys have started and won actual NFL games in their careers.
This should tell you how well Tyson Bagent performed. He was by far the sharpest player during the preseason, and that includes Justin Fields. He was poised, accurate, and showed off lots of playmaking skills. What stood out was how much he’d already learned in Luke Getsy’s system. His footwork was sharp, and he made consistently good reads. There is no telling how high his ceiling may be. Still, Bagent has more than enough ability to carve out a long NFL career.
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