The Chicago Bears quarterback position has easily been the most boring of the 2019 offseason. This isn’t much of a surprise. Everything is focused on Mitch Trubisky at the moment. He went to the Pro Bowl last year after posting the most efficient passing season in team history. Continuing to push him upwards remains the goal.
Beyond that though, the Bears also kept the status quo on the rest of the depth chart. Chase Daniel remains the backup and Tyler Bray was brought back to maintain his spot as the third stringer. As the draft passed by, it became clear that the team wasn’t likely to make a move at the position.
Then at the 11th hour, they finally struck. Granted, it was hardly a monumental move but it’s at least one of interest. They decided to invite former Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen in for a tryout at their rookie minicamp on May 3rd.
Austin Allen fits the Chicago Bears quarterback keys
Nobody is going to say Allen is a threat to Trubisky. Far from it. Instead it’s clear the team wants to see if he has something to offer as a future backup. Daniel is in the last year of his contract and Bray is on a one-year deal. There is no harm in exploring younger, cheaper options.
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So what does the kid offer? His college career was a mixed bag. He had a good 2016 season with 25 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions. However, his senior year in 2017 was cut short by a shoulder injury. He eventually went undrafted last year and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Allen failed to make the team and spent the year out of football. However, he soon made it with the Salt Lake Stallions in the AAF before the league eventually folded. Now he’s trying to get back into the NFL.
At his best, he showed a poise and accuracy to hit his targets in a rhythmic passing attack. He was particularly good off play action. The problem is he’s short (6’1) and took a beating in college to the point where he started to regress. His internal clock just doesn’t work fast enough.
Maybe he’s learned a few things since then. Maybe Matt Nagy thinks he has something to offer. Or he’s another camp arm.
