The Chicago Bears will have a new quarterback at some point in the near future. It’s a matter of who that will be and when the team ultimately acquires him. Nick Foles will be on the roster next year but his fate is fairly predictable. Either he’ll a temporary starter to buy a rookie some time or he’ll be the backup. If they go the veteran route? One name that continues to pop up is Sam Darnold.
The #3 overall pick in 2018, he was supposed to be the franchise guy for the New York Jets. His ability was unquestioned. Size, mobility, a great arm, and a tremendous instinct for making plays off the cuff. All he needed was the right coaching and a decent supporting cast. Sadly the Jets failed him in both measures. He didn’t get viable receivers or protection and has gotten Adam Gase as his coach for most of that time.
Now with New York angling for Trevor Lawrence, his time appears up.
Expectations are he’ll be traded at some point in the 2021 offseason. It comes down to where. ESPN polled their top experts on this question. Matt Bowen, a former NFL player and one of the top tape analysts in the business, believes Darnold is bound for Chicago. Especially if the Bears decide not to make a change at head coach.
“If Matt Nagy is back as the Bears’ head coach in 2021, then I see Chicago making a move for Darnold. The value? Chicago sends a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 fifth-round pick to New York. Mitchell Trubisky will be a free agent, and Nick Foles isn’t the answer. The Bears will need a starting quarterback, and Darnold — despite his inconsistent play — has first-round traits.”
It is pretty clear what Bowen is driving at with such a prediction. If Nagy stays, he’ll need to find a quarterback who can play immediately. Somebody who can help him win. A rookie in the draft isn’t likely to do that for him. By trading for Sam Darnold, he can secure a young, talented player with experience and then use the Bears’ 1st round pick to likely shore up the offensive line.
Subscribe to the BFR podcast and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Sam Darnold might feel like another Trubisky though
Nagy has a particular type he’s been looking for at quarterback. Somebody who can read defenses well and make the right throws given the situation. This was a problem that plagued Trubisky for years. Foles had similar issues and his lack of mobility only made matters that much worse. Is Darnold any different?
Not based on the recent film. He suffers from a lot of the same problems. He can be indecisive in the pocket and holds the ball too long. Cameras even caught him admitting to seeing ghosts on the field at one point. Why should anybody believe he’ll respond to Nagy’s coaching any better than Trubisky did?
Of course, every quarterback is different.
Sam Darnold has once-in-a-generation talent. That isn’t a lie. He can make some truly eye-popping throws when he’s playing with any degree of confidence. The question is whether the Jets have shattered whatever confidence he had the past three years. Once it’s gone, it’s quite difficult for another team to build it back up.
One thing going in his favor is his age. Darnold is 23-years old. There is still plenty of time for him to get back on track. It will come down to whether a team is willing to take the time and make the investment necessary to turn him around. Is Chicago really the best place for him? That is up for debate.