Bears Break Tradition: Rookie QB Scenario
With just under a month remaining until the commencement of the highly anticipated 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears have already made their intentions clear: they're eyeing a quarterback with their No. 1 overall pick, with Caleb Williams emerging as the likely candidate. This decision was solidified a few weeks ago when the Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien as the only quarterbacks on their roster. However, both Bagent and Rypien lack substantial experience, with only nine starts and 311 passing attempts between them throughout their careers.
Despite Rypien's familiarity with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and Bagent's decent performance last season, neither player poses a serious challenge to Williams or any other quarterback the Bears may select in the draft. It's probable that Chicago will entrust the rookie signal caller with the starting role almost immediately, foregoing the option of having a seasoned veteran ahead of him on the depth chart as they head into training camp and the regular season.
While it's become more common in the NFL over the past 15 years to start rookie quarterbacks early on, the Bears have typically followed a different approach with their recent first-round picks. In fact, according to data from Pro Football Reference, this upcoming season could mark the first time in franchise history that a first-round rookie quarterback will start in Week 1, barring any unforeseen circumstances. The only other instance of a rookie starting the season as quarterback was Kyle Orton in 2005, due to injury.
The perennial debate of whether to start or sit a rookie quarterback has persisted over the years, and the Bears have consistently opted for the latter. Let's take a look at some recent examples of how the Bears handled the quarterback situation, prioritizing veteran players over rookies, and the outcomes of each scenario.
1999: Shane Matthews and Cade McNown
The 1999 NFL Draft witnessed the selection of five quarterbacks within the first 12 picks, with Cade McNown joining the Bears. Initially, McNown was slated to start as the team's quarterback after veteran Erik Kramer was traded. However, due to a contract holdout, the Bears turned to Shane Matthews, who had previous experience with the team. Matthews started the first five games of the season, while McNown saw limited action. Despite Matthews' early success, an injury led to McNown taking over in Week 6. However, McNown struggled throughout the season, eventually being traded due to poor performance and attitude issues.
2003: Kordell Stewart and Rex Grossman
In 2003, the Bears signed veteran Kordell Stewart and already had Chris Chandler on their roster when they drafted Rex Grossman. Instead of having Grossman as Stewart's backup, he was designated as the third string. Stewart began the season as the starter but struggled, leading to Chandler taking over midway through the year. Grossman didn't start until Week 15, where he showed promise in the final games of the season. Grossman eventually became the team's starter for several seasons, leading them to multiple division titles and a Super Bowl appearance.
2017: Mike Glennon and Mitchell Trubisky
Following Jay Cutler's departure, the Bears signed Mike Glennon to be their starting quarterback and traded up to select Mitchell Trubisky in the draft. Glennon started the first four games of the season but struggled, leading to Trubisky taking over as the starter. Trubisky showed potential despite challenges in his rookie year and eventually became the team's starting quarterback for the next three seasons.
2021: Justin Fields and Andy Dalton
In 2021, the Bears signed Andy Dalton to be their starting quarterback but drafted Justin Fields soon after. Dalton started the first two weeks of the season before an injury propelled Fields into the starting role. Despite facing challenges in his rookie year, Fields showed promise and became the team's starting quarterback for the following seasons.
Looking ahead to 2024, the Bears are poised to break from tradition by potentially starting a rookie quarterback in Week 1 for the first time in franchise history. With the likely arrival of Caleb Williams, the Bears are in a unique position with a talented roster surrounding the quarterback position. General manager Ryan Poles' confidence in a rookie quarterback suggests a shift in approach, signaling optimism for the future of the franchise. As the Bears aim to break the cycle of poor quarterback play, starting a rookie quarterback from the outset may be the catalyst for a successful new era in Chicago football.
| POLL | ||
1 AVRIL | 64 ANSWERS Bears Break Tradition: Rookie QB Scenario Do you think the Chicago Bears' decision to start a rookie quarterback immediately will lead to improved performance and success for the team? ( | ||
| Yes | 41 | 64.1 % |
| No | 23 | 35.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
