Ryan Pace was never going to discuss any quarterbacks by name when asked at his most recent Chicago Bears press conference. One because he couldn’t legally do so and two because he wasn’t going to tip his hand to the 31 other teams in the NFL. For all the faults people point out in the man, there’s no question the GM is a tremendous poker player. That being said, he did acknowledge the realities at quarterback.
Cliche as the saying is, he kept repeating, “Everything is on the table” in regards to that position. That may be frustrating to people who want specifics, but it paints a clear enough picture. Nothing is off-limits. If the Bears feel they can strike big this offseason, they won’t hesitate to do so. They just aren’t going to jump at shadows. They have a plan and will stick to it.
Still, it leaves the same question. Who will it be?
Mike Tannenbaum was a GM in the NFL for several years between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He understands as much as anybody the challenges of filling the quarterback position. On ESPN’s Get Up, he was asked what he thinks Pace and the Bears should and will do. In his mind, it’s not really anything creative. Do anything and everything possible to make Russell Wilson a Bear.
Everybody has heard the details at this point. Wilson is unhappy in Seattle. He feels the Seahawks haven’t done enough to adequately build around him and make him the central focus of their offense. Outdated scheme. Poor offensive line play. When he asked for more sway in the personnel and scheme decisions earlier this offseason, he was brushed off.
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So he took his grievances to the media, which including singling out four teams that he wouldn’t mind being traded to. Among them was the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears want Wilson but can’t wait forever for him
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported shortly after that announcement that the Bears were very much interested in Wilson. As if that’s a surprise. The 32-year old is a seven-time Pro Bowler who just got done throwing 40 touchdowns last season. He’s a superstar. What people can’t understand is why Wilson would be interested in the Bears.
As it turns out, he has reasons. He likes the allure of playing in a rabid sports town like Chicago, knowing full well that excelling there would make him an icon. It was also revealed that tight end Jimmy Graham, who is a former teammate and a good friend has been talking the organization up huge. If that weren’t enough, Russell Wilson also has family in the city. So there are genuine reasons he wouldn’t mind coming here.
It comes down to whether the Seahawks will let it get that far.
There is no sign Seattle is ready to open that door. At least not yet. Most believe they’ll try to smooth things over with their quarterback. If those efforts fail though? Things can change fast. According to a source, the Chicago Bears are active on the phone lines to Seattle. In the event Wilson becomes available, they plan to be involved in that sweepstakes.
Bets are already being placed on where the All-Pro QB ends up playing in 2021. You stand to win a lot of money if it ends up being the Bears. Just make sure to use PointsBet. By using the promo code Mockery, they’ll give you two risk-free bets up to $2000. The fact they’re officially sponsored by the Chicago Bears would only make it sweeter.