The Chicago Bears addressed their quarterback issue Wednesday when the team traded a fourth-round compensatory pick for Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles. The move reunites Foles with several former coaches he played under including head coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. It is a move that may also signal that general manager Ryan Pace was backed into a corner.
When the new league year began Monday afternoon, there were rumors a plenty linking the Bears to several quarterbacks via free agency or trade. Teddy Bridgewater was the first big name rumored to be coming to the Bears in which he would have been named the starter. On Tuesday, rumors swirled involving Chicago trading for Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton or Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Foles was a rumored name, but many believed Chicago trading for Newton was the sure thing. Had the Bears acquired anyone but Foles, it would have meant the end of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky as the team’s starter.
Trading or signing a quarterback that would have supplemented Trubisky as the Bears’ starter, would have also meant the acknowledgment of draft failure on Pace’s part. On Tuesday, Chicago released linebacker Leonard Floyd, their 2016 first-round pick that the team traded up for to draft. If Pace traded for a starting quarterback to replace his most important draft selection, accepting failure with both picks would have ultimately lead to his firing in the future.
Acquiring Foles was the safest bet for Pace if he wished to keep his job. Trading for the Jaguars’ quarterback enables Trubisky the ability to earn his starting spot in training camp and be successful during the season. If the Bears quarterback struggles, it allows the coaches Pace hired to move on with a quarterback that knows, and that has had success in their system. There is a possibility that Foles can lead Chicago to the playoffs enabling Pace to move on from Trubisky and not lose his job because of it.
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There is still a possibility that both quarterbacks struggle, and Chicago has another disappointing season. It would not only lead to Pace being fired but the coaching staff also. There were better quarterback options out there for the Bears, but this move was the safest option for both the general manager and the head coach. Both Pace and Nagy are offensive minds, and both oversaw one of the league’s worst offenses in 2019. Despite their team’s offensive struggles, the bears still managed to win eight games.
The Bears’ main goals in 2020 will be to win with an elite defense while having an offense that is average at best. For Chicago’s general manager, his main goal is for Trubisky to find success while having a backup plan in place also. Pace explored all options before settling on Foles, not just for the betternment of his team, but for the benefit of his job.
