Louis Riddick is one of the more respected football analysts in the business. He played the game for a long time in the NFL. Then he served as a scout and personnel director. Now he’s one of the primary voices for Monday Night Football. The guy knows what he’s talking about. He also has ties to the Chicago Bears. He worked with head coach Matt Nagy for a number of years in Philadelphia.
The two are close friends. This is why Riddick has held a vested interest in the Bears since Nagy was hired in 2018. It also might be why people should pay attention to his words when he has something to say about the team. The ESPN analyst was interviewed recently about the current state of the quarterbacks this NFL offseason. Specifically, what will happen with Deshaun Watson in Houston? Where will he go?
While other teams want him, there may be only one willing to do what it takes.
Mike Greenberg interviewed Riddick on his radio show recently. The former personnel director understands how hot of a commodity Watson will be whenever the Texans finally make him available. Teams like the Jets and Dolphins have the ammunition to entice the most. Carolina is reportedly prepared to make a strong push. Yet to him there is no more motivated than the Bears.
What he says is true. No team should feel that no price is too high more than the Bears. Every other team mentioned has something they don’t. A back door. New York holds the 2nd overall pick. Miami has Tua Tagovailoa and the 3rd overall pick if they wish to make a change. Carolina still has Teddy Bridgewater and the 8th pick. San Francisco? They still have Jimmy Garoppolo. New England has nobody but they aren’t the kind of organization that would sell out for any one player.
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Louis Riddick is right. The Bears are the team with nothing to lose
Nagy and GM Ryan Pace have no definitive options on the table right now. Mitch Trubisky is a free agent and they don’t want him back. Nick Foles was a failed experiment. Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz are off the board. It doesn’t look like Dak Prescott or Derek Carr are going anywhere. Watson is the only major piece out there that can be had.
Combine this reality with the knowledge that there may be no tomorrow beyond 2021 for everybody? It makes perfect sense the Bears would be wearing out the phone lines to Houston with a simple question. “What do you want? What will it take?” Anything within reason is on the table. We want Deshaun and are prepared to pay the ransom to get him.
Just because other teams have more assets doesn’t matter.
It’s whether or not they’re willing to give them up. The Bears have nothing to lose and Riddick knows it. They need to make a splash. They must do something to change the situation. He also knows Nagy loves Watson. Making a bold trade for the quarterback might be their only chance. He is a superstar at quarterback. Somebody who should have a long career. Chicago has every reason in the world to sell him on coming here.