The Chicago Bears thought they had a good plan at quarterback coming into 2020. To be fair they did. On paper. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t account for a world-altering viral outbreak and the complete disintegration of the offensive line. Now the team doesn’t even know for sure who will start Sunday. Mitch Trubisky? Nick Foles? Tyler Bray? People have their guesses but the team hasn’t said anything.
Perhaps the more puzzling part of this entire equation is the moves the Bears have made at quarterback over the course of this season. Specifically when Trubisky got hurt a few weeks ago. With Foles being the only QB with any experience left available on the roster, the team didn’t make any sort of push to sign a guy with some playing time. They contented themselves with sticking by Bray and signing longtime preseason hero Kyle Sloter.
Even other teams are baffled by this approach.
Adam Hoge of NBC Sports Chicago revealed as much during his latest column. While other teams in way better QB situations than the Bears are signing more seasoned guys left and right, they continue to sit on their hands doing nothing.
“One source I spoke with during the bye week expressed some surprise that the Bears didn’t go after a quarterback like Trevor Siemian, who the Saints signed off the Titans practice squad last week. The Titans ended up replacing Siemian with Kizer.”
Siemian isn’t the only example. Josh McCown, the old Bears favorite was available until the Houston Texans picked him up on November 7th. Blake Bortles didn’t sign until the end of September in Denver. Drew Stanton and Cody Kessler are still available. While none of those guys are premium options, they have to be considered better than Bray who’s been third-string QB most of his career.
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Chicago Bears QB decisions are clearly in the wrong hands
Everybody knew the reputation of GM Ryan Pace by this point. His eye for quarterbacks is, shall we say, questionable. Mike Glennon, Mitch Trubisky, and Nick Foles are his big highlights. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. The problem is it appears Matt Nagy hasn’t done much to help. His stubbornness to stick with guys like Chase Daniel and Bray rather than pursuing younger and more talented alternatives should be called into question.
Too often he seems like a coach who doesn’t want to rock the boat. Keep the boys happy. Only when things get rough will he actually do something about it. He’s way too reactionary rather than preparatory. A sign that while he may be a good leader, he might not be the best head coach. If both men can’t identify solutions at QB, then what good are they to this organization?
And therein lay the problem.
This is the primary argument people continue to make. If Pace can’t find a quarterback and Nagy can’t develop them anyway, then the Chicago Bears don’t have valid reasons to keep either of them. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league more than ever. This franchise hasn’t had a good one in a long, long time. Until they do, seasons like this will keep happening to them.
Will the McCaskeys make changes this coming offseason? Only they can answer that question but there is a growing belief that will be the case.