The Chicago Bears have navigated their contract issues very well this offseason. Every major deal they had to get done was handled without any controversy. Most people felt GM Ryan Poles was done with any further work until extension discussions later in the season. They were mistaken. It turns out the Bears had been working on another deal quietly for weeks. Marc Carman of CHGO revealed that the team had reached a two-year contract extension with backup quarterback Tyson Bagent. It is worth $10 million and could go up to $16 million with incentives.
This is a shocking move for multiple reasons. For one, some felt Case Keenum was a likely choice for the #2 spot on the depth chart because of his experience. However, Bagent has played so well in training camp and the preseason that such a move didn’t make sense. His contract expires after this season. One would think the Bears would either trade him or he’d prefer to hit free agency in hopes of chasing a starting job. This decision suggests Bagent is happy where he is, getting a chance to learn under Ben Johnson. The Bears reward him with a nice deal and secure stability at the most important position.
The Chicago Bears also maintain some leverage for the future.
Keeping Bagent for another two years lets the window for a possible trade stay open down the line. While there is no reason to think the Chicago Bears will entertain the idea, every team has a price. Bagent has plenty of fans around the NFL. There has been legitimate trade buzz percolating. This decision to extend him hints at a team that knew what they had and wanted to make sure nobody else stole the march on them. Maybe someone comes around with a ridiculous offer later on. Philadelphia once traded Kevin Kolb for a Pro Bowl cornerback and a 2nd round pick. Anything is possible. As things stand, it sounds like the team wants to make sure he’s in that locker room for a long time.
