All the talk right now is about Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. Make no mistake. The Chicago Bears are absolutely right to keep their focus on acquiring one of those two quarterbacks. They are by far superior to any other option on the table this year. That being said, it’s not a guarantee the team can land one of them. There is a possibility the Bears may have to look towards the draft for solutions at the position. Can fans trust GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy to get it right if that happens?
People pretty much know Pace’s evaluation process at this point. Let’s just say it was unsatisfactory based on reports from back in 2017. Nagy on the other hand? Rumors indicate he actually ended up nailing that class with his personal evaluations. He called Patrick Mahomes a future superstar, Deshaun Watson a long-term good quarterback, and Mitch Trubisky a project. That is exactly how it’s played out.
So how did he reach such conclusions?
For the first time, he revealed details about what went into his and the Kansas City Chiefs’ evaluations during that 2017 offseason. The best word to describe it? Thorough. Tons of hours of watching film. Interview sessions with the quarterbacks went on for six to seven hours including tape review, board work, and asking tough questions to see how they responded. Then compile the data and make a determination.
Nagy made sure to point out that the process is hardly foolproof. An obvious element of luck was involved. Still, the Chiefs trusted the work they put in and the evaluations made. Coaches and scouts were in agreement that Mahomes was their guy. So they traded up to get him. Now he’s a two-time Super Bowl participant, a Super Bowl champion, and a league MVP before the start of his fifth season.
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This was @GardnerMinshew5 at #SuperBowlLIV (last year) talking about how he thought he might end up in Chicago. The #Bears spent extensive time with Minshew. pic.twitter.com/0n7IEE3Ab1
— Mark Carman (@thecarm) February 10, 2021
Matt Nagy brought that to Chicago and it already showed promise
While the Bears have yet to draft a quarterback with Nagy in charge, they’ve done some noteworthy evaluations. One player he reportedly liked a lot was Gardner Minshew back in 2019. The Washington State standout eventually went to Jacksonville in the 6th round. Since then he’s started 20 games with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a 93.1 passer rating. Better than Trubisky has had during the past three seasons.
So that offers some hope that if the Bears are forced to turn their attention to the draft, Matt Nagy can point them in the right direction. Remember they also have John DeFilippo on board. He was involved in the evaluations that led to the Raiders drafting Derek Carr and the Eagles drafting Carson Wentz. He went through similar processes so he too knows what to do and what not to do.
Will it get that far?
It’s too early to tell. Free agency begins on March 17th. If Watson or Wilson do get traded, most don’t expect that to happen until closer to the draft. That means the Bears could wait this out until late April. If neither of them comes to fruition, then it becomes almost a foregone conclusion they’re going to draft somebody.
The odds of the Bears drafting a QB are pretty long right now. If you place bets on it, you’d probably make some good money. Just make sure to use PointsBet. They’ve partnered with the Chicago Bears and are offering two risk-free bets for up to $2000. All you have to do is use the promo code Mockery.