It’s been quite a rollercoaster of emotions for Chicago Bears fans following quarterback rumors this offseason. But none more so than over the last couple of weeks where the Bears have shown significant interest in trading for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
And it hasn’t helped that Wilson to the Bears rumors have picked up steam during that time, considering Chicago is on the shortlist of teams Wilson would like to be traded to and a report that the Bears are throwing a “boatload” of picks to the Seahawks in order to acquire Wilson.
But things have simmered quite a bit as it doesn’t seem a Wilson trade is going to happen anytime soon. And things got even more deflating when reports surfaced that Chicago is showing interest in free-agent quarterback Andy Dalton.
Going from Wilson to Dalton seems fitting for this Bears franchise, but it’s also an absolute gut punch. But while the Dalton-to-Chicago rumors are currently swirling, the Bears aren’t out of the Wilson sweepstakes just yet.
According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, as of last weekend, Chicago still felt like they were in the mix to potentially land Wilson. Obviously the question remains whether or not the Seahawks will pull the trigger on the trade. But that surely hinges on a potential replacement for Wilson.
Seattle isn’t likely to be enticed by Nick Foles, who is the only quarterback currently under contract with the Bears, but there’s another quarterback rumored to be on the trade block that does.
According to the New York Daily News, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has “a high opinion” of Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, and the Seahawks could wind up trading for him should they decide to deal Wilson.
That would certainly solve the issue of having a replacement for Wilson, especially a young player with upside that’s still on a rookie contract.
But it’s clear that the Bears are running out of options at quarterback ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, which is why a name like Dalton is being floated around as a contingency plan. If Seattle doesn’t deal Wilson anytime soon, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chicago sign Dalton, attempt to trade Foles and trade up in the draft to take a rookie quarterback.
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