PERCEIVING VALUE
Needless to say plenty of Bears fans panicked when word hit that the team might be gearing for a run at pending free agent quarterback Mike Glennon. To many he just looks like another Brock Osweiler. A career backup with a huge body and nice arm who just doesn’t have the chops to start in the NFL. How could the team view him as their answer at quarterback over Jay Cutler or even Brian Hoyer?
However, Pace has continued to insist they have a plan and he’s excited about it. When examining that rumor along with their reported interest in certain quarterbacks, it’s becoming clear they might have a certain goal in mind. It started with an interesting comment Pace made at the start of the scouting combine.
Reporter to #Bears GM Ryan Pace: Would you reach at 3 for a QB?
Pace: "I think you have to get value."
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) March 1, 2017
That’s not a flat denile, but it’s certainly not a confirmation. Far from it. Pace has always been a man who operates by the “Best Player Available” mantra in the draft. Most boards have agreed that there might be one quarterback in this class worthy of going in the top 10, let alone the top five. Thus Pace has a decision to make. Does he reach for somebody or stick to his guns?
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Tim Baffoe of CBS Sports put it best when responding to that comment.
“When a general manager responds with “value” in regards to “reaching” for something at No. 3 overall, that something is a nothing and not happening. That’s a plus, too, because the last thing this franchise needs is drafting the wrong quarterback at the wrong spot in a rebuild.”
Thus we can expect the Bears to target a non-QB at #3 overall. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t plan on drafting one. Given the names they’ve scouted or met with of late like Patrick Mahomes, Nathan Peterman and Brad Kaaya it’s apparent they could go after one in the second or third rounds. Somebody of high talent they can develop. Hence the interest in somebody like Glennon who has NFL starting experience. He can start initially and be a bridge guy until their project is ready.
That or the two could be put in direct competition. This strategy mirrors that of two other current contenders that have found success with it.
