All of the focus for the Chicago Bears going into the NFL draft is what they do at quarterback. This is hardly unexpected. Mitch Trubisky is gone. Andy Dalton is only on a one-year deal. Everything points to them looking to get their next potential franchise guy. Even if fans aren’t wild about GM Ryan Pace being the guy to take that swing. Barring something unexpected, this team will draft somebody in the first three rounds.
What hasn’t been asked enough is this. Will that quarterback be the only one acquired over the weekend? Amidst all the talk of the top eight guys who could go early, it’s important to remember the Bears have done a ton of homework on guys expected to go later in the draft too. It’s rare for teams to take two in the same draft but it has happened. The idea being to attack the position in waves in hopes of getting it right.
Perhaps the Bears are preparing to take this approach.
Among the notable names they’ve met with in recent weeks, another can be added to the list. According to Logan Ulrich of NFL Trade Rumors, the Bears and several other teams have shown significant interest in one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the entire class.
“According to a league source, Northwestern QB Peyton Ramsey has had Zoom meetings with the Bears…”
Ramsey had quite a run with the Wildcats dating back to 2017 when he first became their starter. He posted a winning record in three of those seasons and went a perfect 3-0 in bowl games, including an upset of Utah in 2019. Most experts see him as a late round pick at most though citing his uneven production and shakiness under pressure. That said his size and arm strength are decent and he operates well from the pocket. Able to go through progressions better than a number of QBs in the class.
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Chicago has four picks in the 6th round. Could they set one aside to add Ramsey to the mix?
Chicago Bears clearly aim to overhaul the position
For the time being, they have two decent veterans on the roster in Andy Dalton and Nick Foles. Beyond this year? That could change. Dalton will be a free agent and Foles likely cut. It would be wise for the Bears to have plans in place for the future. Why only focus on who the potential starter could be? Maybe they could also obtain his backup at the same time. That is where somebody like Ramsey comes in.
He is somebody who has that classic Chase Daniel vibe. Not the most talented in the world but a smart, hard-working guy who does all the little things right. He’s the son of a coach. So he knows the kind of preparation it takes to handle playing quarterback. That could be enough to sustain him for a long time in the NFL. Even if it isn’t as a starter. It would also set the Chicago Bears up with two cheap contracts at the most important position for the next four years.
Just something to consider.
Ramsey could also end up being an undrafted free agent. In that instance, the Bears might have a considerable advantage. Northwestern is in close proximity to Chicago. The quarterback may desire to stay close by rather than venture to another state. Something the team has exploited a number of times in the past. Most recently with Sam Mustipher and Alex Bars from Notre Dame. He would be the first non-1st round rookie added since 2016.