The Bears are seemingly casting a wide net and while who they add is still up in the air, it seems clear they are targeting a middle-tier veteran quarterback to push Mitchell Trubisky. They’ve been connected to both the Jaguars’ Nick Foles and the Bengals’ Andy Dalton, and earlier today we heard they’ve had talks with free agent Teddy Bridgewater.
But while they’ve had exploratory discussions with Bridgewater, Chicago is “focused” on landing either Foles or Dalton, a source told Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Unsurprisingly, Werder passes along that the organization wants Trubisky to have to compete for the starting job. He also notes that both Foles and Dalton have either played for Bears head coach Matt Nagy or a member of his staff.
Nagy was an assistant in Philadelphia under Andy Reid during Foles’ rookie season with the Eagles, and then was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City when Foles spent 2016 with the Chiefs. Chicago just hired Bill Lazor to be their new offensive coordinator this offseason, who has extensive ties to Dalton. Lazor was the Bengals’ quarterbacks coach in 2016, and their offensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018.
It looks like the Jaguars are leaning toward going with Gardner Minshew as their starter, and as such would like to move Foles and get rid of his hefty contract. However we’ve also heard that the Jags aren’t desperate to move Foles, and want real compensation in return. The Bengals are widely assumed to be taking a quarterback first overall in next month’s draft, and don’t really have much need for Dalton any more. Dalton is due a very reasonable $17.5MM in the final year of his contract, which has led to plenty of trade speculation.
Both Dalton and Foles would make for very expensive backups, and while the Bears are posturing as if they just want to push Trubisky, it’s likely whoever they trade for would be a heavy favorite to start. According to Werder, it sounds like Chicago is intent on acquiring one of those two.
If bears r so adamant about benching mitch and bringing in a starter…then sign brady not a mid-tier qb
I think the issue is more likely that they’re not adamant about benching Mitch so much as they’re adamant about acquiring someone to compete with him. Bridgewater isn’t going to a situation without guarantee of starting. Foles and Dalton don’t have the leverage to make that demand.
Brady is 43, Nick Foles is 30. Foles doesn’t have the hunger or ambition of a Brady, but he’s certainly not short of talent. He does need a sensitive coach to flourish so he’s not a good fit for many hardline head coach types.
I dont think Brady wants to to there, even tho its the perfect fit.
He has some weapons in Keanan Allen and Mike Williams in LA tho.
Bears + Brady likely is a lock for SB run, but think he wants LA connections.. age 43
Teddy isn’t worth the money he’s asking and his noodle arm is a bad fit in the Windy City. Nagy seen how pedestrian Foles is as a rookie in Philly and in KC where he stunk up the place. He’s a career backup being paid as a low end starter plus he has multiple years left on his deal. Dalton makes the most sense here without question. No dead cap money, only 17.5 million on his contract and he has
Extensive success as a starter and has put up big numbers in several seasons. He’s the perfect option.
He didn’t play in KC. Lazor coached him to a great year in PA. Won a SB for DePhillippo.
Foles’s rookie year matters how?
Foles would be a horrible addition to the bears, they are already cutting veterans to fit more people under the cap and he might have the worst contract in the nfl, let Jacksonville keep that, dalton makes more sense since he only has 1 guaranteed year and if Mitch doesn’t cut it as a starter this year the bears are goin to draft a quarterback again next year, foles makes no sense
Dalton couldn’t lead the Bengals to even one playoff win in I think, 5 tries? Right. Just what the Bears need.
Teddy’s “noodle arm” led the Saints over the Bears AT SOLDIERS FIELD last season. And he looked like a pro-bowl QB compared to Trashbisky that day.
Everybody knows you need a strong arm to throw medium and long range passes in inclement weather. So why did the Pace pass on Patrick Mahomes and DeShaun Watson to trade up for Trashbisky in the draft? It was done on purpose, and I believe I know why.
You have no clue as to why
Yannick Ngakoue and Nick Foles for Roquan Smith and a fifth round pick.
Bears get Foles and swap a young promising linebacker for a stud defensive end who is also young. This trade makes that defence even stronger and gives them a nice alternate to Trubisky
For the Jags they dump Foles big contact and Ngakoue’s big contract for a young solid linebacker and a low pick. The deal helps their rebuild and clears cap space.
I like the idea but Red Rocket would be the better fit on the field and for the FO’s financial flexibility.
So are the Bears gonna have to bring someone in to compete with Trubisky every year then? What’s the value of a QB who only performs when someone’s breathing down their neck?
Bring on the Red Rocket and let’s go to work.