The Chicago Bears were rumored for weeks to be interested in Matthew Stafford. That is hardly a surprise. He’s a good quarterback. They need a good quarterback. It was just a question of whether they could somehow convince the Detroit Lions, a division rival, to send him their way. In the end, they could not. The Los Angeles Rams won the race, delivering two 1st round picks, a 3rd round pick, and QB Jared Goff in return. Were the Bears even close to that? NFL insider Ian Rapoport provided some input.
He reported that several teams were aggressive in pursuit of Stafford. Going so far as to offer a 1st round pick and then some including the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. The Bears? They were in that group as well. This offers clear evidence of what has been hinted at for almost a month now. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy aim to be active on the market this year.
They want (and need to) make a splash at that position.
From a special edition of NFL Now: Breaking down the Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade that was several weeks in the making for the #Rams and #Lions. pic.twitter.com/RYz18FqDYZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2021
It isn’t a surprise Detroit ended up sending Stafford to L.A. Their offer was the best one from a long-term point of view. Plus their GM Brad Holmes has ties to Goff who can immediately be their bridge option at quarterback. Combined with the division obstacle? The Bears were never going to win that bidding war. Paying a king’s ransom for a 33-year old quarterback isn’t smart business.
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The fact they made a strong push is proof enough of their intent. One can place a safe bet they’re going to be even more assertive if and when Deshaun Watson becomes available in the coming months.
Ian Rapoport made it clear the QB market will be crazy
The Bears are going to have a ton of competition for these veteran quarterbacks who are available. Watson is of course the golden goose. So it’s fair to believe Pace may have to pay through the nose in order to get the 25-year old star. Initial reports are it may cost two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, and two good defensive players. Odds are it could go higher than that.
Then there is also the matter of convincing Watson to come to Chicago. That shouldn’t be a huge challenge. A big market with huge money opportunities. An offensively-focused staff with a head coach who knows the QB position. Likely a go-to target in Allen Robinson. A defense that should still be pretty good for another year. A conference that is generally weak at the position overall.
Watson wouldn’t have any reason to scoff at the idea.
Chicago would treat him like royalty. Ian Rapoport figures to continue feeding updates on him and other quarterbacks as the weeks unfold. The league year begins on March 17th. It’s likely there will be a lot more clarity on how things are going to go by then. Hopefully, the Bears can make contact. Otherwise, 2021 could be a long year for them and fans.
