Rumors circulated a few months ago that the Arizona Cardinals were at least sniffing around Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent as a trade option. In the end, we know this didn’t happen. The team opted to retain Jacoby Brissett as a bridge for 3rd round pick Carson Beck. However, the insinuation was clear. Bagent might be getting some serious buzz as a potential trade option. Head coach Ben Johnson quickly made another thing clear. If you wanted him, you would have to pay a hefty price.
Johnson hasn’t been quiet about his love of Bagent. He is a great admirer of the young quarterback and believes he’s more than capable of being one of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL. When you have someone like that as your backup, it might be wise to keep him as long as possible. In other words, if you want him, you’ll have to make a serious offer befitting a starting quarterback—no bargain for you. Unsurprisingly, teams have stayed away.
That might be nearing a change.
Tyson Bagent continues to gain admirers.
Sports Mockery has been informed by people close to the situation that interest in the quarterback has picked up a lot of steam since the end of the preseason. With a stellar finish in Tennessee that saw him go 16-of-17 with two touchdowns, Bagent was the highest-rated QB of the preseason. He also earned the highest grade in 2025 and 2024. Yes, it’s the preseason. You’re not facing the cream of the crop. Still, you’re not playing with the cream of the crop. Bagent is dominating with mostly backups against backups.
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You have to ask the question. Are there 32 projected starters right now who are better than Tyson Bagent?
- Jacoby Brissett
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Geno Smith
- Cam Ward
- Malik Willis
- Deshaun Watson
- Daniel Jones
These are all guys who may have more experience, but you’d actually have to argue their case. Everybody with common football sense knows none of those guys are winning you a championship. We don’t know if Bagent can or can’t because he hasn’t been given an honest shot. Every time he’s stepped on the field over the past three years, he’s played well.
It all might be just one domino away.
Additional information said that interest in Bagent is high enough that an injury to a prominent quarterback at some point in the first two months would be enough to light the fuse. If a contending team loses its main guy, the allure of somebody developed by Johnson might be enough for the Bears to get a great return on their young quarterback. Maybe not a 1st round pick, but something adjacent to it. With Bagent’s contract winding down, they’re unlikely to see his stock rise any further.
There are several variables involved. Bagent must be available. Other teams must have a sudden need for quarterback help and not like their own backup situations. Also, Caleb Williams must stay healthy. That is a lot of moving parts. Still, we’ve seen prominent backups go for sizable packages before. It’s all about timing and luck. The interest is most definitely out there. We’ll see if that evolves into active pursuit.
