Justin Fields is the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus made that clear from the start. He’s the former 1st round pick and has a ton of upside if he can get the right coaching around him. Still, that didn’t mean the team would go the entire offseason without making changes at the position. That began with the signing of veteran Trevor Siemian who they feel fits their new offense well. Then, following the madness of the NFL draft, the team quietly agreed to bring in another for a tryout.
His name is Drew Plitt. While not a household name among college fans, he became a hero to Ball State loyalists in many ways. The program hadn’t produced a winning season in five years by the end of 2018. However, there were signs they may have something in the young quarterback who finished the year showing flashes as the new starting QB. That next season he finished with 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Then in 2020, he led the Cardinals to a 7-1 record and the program’s first-ever college football national ranking (23rd).
Drew Plitt 🤝 Bears/Colts
Make the most of these opportunities, Drew!#1AAT | #TrueCardinal pic.twitter.com/XPgbCkOoiX
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) May 1, 2022
Plitt could be proud of his college career when it was all said and done.
In 36 starts, he threw for 8,396 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. Perhaps his best performances were both on the road against conference rivals Central Michigan and Western Michigan, where he threw a combined eight touchdowns with one interception. At 6’2, he has decent size for a quarterback and flashed considerable arm strength on many of his throws. He has sharp intelligence for the game and isn’t a complete statue in the pocket either. While not a scrambler, he can move when necessary.
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The primary knocks on him center around his accuracy in his decision-making. While he was consistent enough on the short and intermediate throws, his deep ones were erratic. They tended to float too much, leading to missed opportunities or interceptions. He was also prone to ugly plays whenever he was under pressure. These are common problems for young quarterbacks and likely the main reason he went undrafted.
Plitt has an ample opportunity with the Chicago Bears.
At first glance, he was likely nothing more than a possible training camp arm. That perception changed when the Bears released Nick Foles. That leaves Fields and Siemian as the primary two guys on the roster. If Plitt makes a good impression on them during rookie camps, he’ll have a chance to compete with veteran Ryan Willis for that third spot on the depth chart. A victory would likely guarantee him a practice squad invite.
That might not seem like much to Chicago Bears fans, but it would be a huge deal to him. It is rare, but undrafted quarterbacks have made noise in the NFL before. Everybody remembers Kurt Warner and Tony Romo, of course. There were also strong backups like Brian Hoyer, Shaun Hill, Jake Delhomme, and Case Keenum among others.
The odds are long but not impossible.
Plitt has enough qualities that make him intriguing. With the proper coaching and some tweaks to his game, there is a possibility he can find a home in Chicago. That is why they chose to bring him in. It’s worth mentioning the Colts are doing the same. Their head coach Frank Reich is a former quarterback. If he likes Plitt, that is not something to ignore.
