Andy Dalton it is. Certainly, not the solution at quarterback Chicago Bears fans were hoping for. Then again GM Ryan Pace has already proven he’s not good with that position. Dalton isn’t a bad player, but he also isn’t a good one. He’s the perfect embodiment of this team. Average. Mediocre. In essence, it feels like nothing has changed. The Bears are exactly where they were when they started this offseason. Will it stay that way? Probably, but Adam Schefter provided a sliver of hope.
It’s common knowledge the team was active in their pursuit of Russell Wilson. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback is at odds with the team brass over the direction of the franchise. Enough to where trade buzz has circulated for weeks. Reports surfaced that the Bears made a huge push to make it happen including three 1st round picks, a 3rd round pick, and two unnamed players.
By the sound of it, a deal was close.
GM John Schneider was open to it. However, in the end, there was one man who wouldn’t sign off. Head coach Pete Carroll. At 70-years old, he was not up for the idea of a rebuild. So he squashed the trade. Chicago had their answer and was forced to pivot to alternatives. Dalton was one of the top remaining veterans available and a deal came together quickly.
That would appear to be that then, right? Dalton will be the starter in 2021.
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While this is most likely the case, Schefter delivered an interesting update on ESPN. After explaining how the trade fell through, he was quick to point out that it doesn’t mean the Wilson-Seahawks issues have suddenly vanished. There is still a real chance he could be traded. Just not right now.
Seattle isn’t comfortable with the quarterback options they may have and may wish to do more work on the upcoming draft class. If they like somebody they feel they’d have a shot at, then they could revisit the trade. Not only that? Dalton has fans in that building. So Chicago could package him in their next offer to sweeten the deal.
It seemed that the #Bears signing Andy Dalton meant that the #Seahawks won't trade Russell Wilson.@AdamSchefter says he might still be traded
"I don't think it's done, no. I don't think I'm ready to say Russell Wilson is a Seahawk, will be a Seahawk."pic.twitter.com/cI3r6vUCK3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 17, 2021
Is this a fleeting hope from Adam Schefter?
Most likely. It’s difficult to believe Seattle will suddenly change their mind in the near future. Carroll isn’t going to suddenly get younger by 5-10 years. He’s still one of the oldest coaches in the NFL. Trading Wilson virtually guarantees he won’t have a shot at winning the Super Bowl again before retirement. No redemption for his awful mistakes in that loss to New England back in 2014.
He seems willing to endure the contentious relationship with his quarterback for at least one more year. Adam Schefter isn’t trying to be nice. He is merely stating what he has heard. Perhaps Wilson could dig his heels in further and openly request a trade. That might force the Seahawks’ hands. However, there are no signs that is going to happen.
Barring a miracle, Dalton is the guy this season.
The Bears are likely to do everything they can for the rest of the offseason building the roster up to help him. Even if they have to make sacrifices on defense to clear enough cap space. Remember this is just the beginning of the offseason. There is no telling where this will go. All fans should do is wait to see what Pace does next.