The Chicago Bears Need a Quarterback Shake-Up
In light of the two joint practices with the Colts this week, the Chicago Bears opted to rest all their starters in their second preseason game. Even notable backups like Tyler Scott and Velus Jones were held out. With Justin Fields out of the picture, it was anticipated that we would see a lot of action from PJ Walker, Tyson Bagent, and Nathan Peterman. After witnessing their performances in two games, it is clear that the Chicago Bears need to reassess their quarterback situation.
PJ Walker, a player with previous NFL experience, was an exciting addition to the roster, presumably as the backup quarterback to Justin Fields. He was signed to a one-year contract worth $4.1 million, but the team has an option to release him after 2023 for just $500,000. If they choose to cut him before the season starts, it would cost them just over $2 million. The Bears have the financial flexibility, but it's unlikely they'll make that move.
Due to a new rule this year regarding the quarterback position, the Chicago Bears may need to retain three quarterbacks on the active 53-man roster, rather than just two. If a team has three quarterbacks, they can promote a player from their practice squad on game day, and the third quarterback (emergency QB) won't count against the roster limits. However, if the Bears were to assign Tyson Bagent, Nathan Peterman, or PJ Walker to the practice squad, other teams could claim them, and the Bears would lose that player for nothing.
It's Time to Promote Tyson Bagent to QB2 Over PJ WalkerBased on what we have observed from all three backup quarterbacks in the preseason and during the joint practices, it's evident that Tyson Bagent deserves to be promoted ahead of PJ Walker. While it may seem like a bold move, considering Bagent has primarily faced second and third-string defenses, PJ Walker's performance has been disappointing. Walker has been competing against backups as well, but his throws have been off-target, and he's been making poor decisions and reads. In contrast, Bagent has displayed poise, accuracy, and the ability to either remain in the pocket or move as needed.
If I were in the Bears' position, I would assign Tyson Bagent the QB2 role for the final preseason game. This would allow Bagent to take reps against the second-string defense and give Walker reps against the third-string defense. If Bagent continues to perform well and Walker continues to struggle, I would officially name Bagent as the QB2 on the depth chart, ahead of Walker.
| POLL | ||
20 AOUT | 156 ANSWERS The Chicago Bears Need a Quarterback Shake-Up Who should be the QB2? | ||
| P.J Walker | 11 | 7.1 % |
| Nathan Peterman | 14 | 9 % |
| Tyson Bagent | 131 | 84 % |
| List of polls | ||
