[mm-video type=video id=01f2h7qb92vkqgfqcg playlist_id=01eqbve7kb6he6scwe player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f2h7qb92vkqgfqcg/01f2h7qb92vkqgfqcg-ce39aa2e9044ffb5ff3a49b5c2511f63.jpg]
The Chicago Bears sent shockwaves through their fanbase when they inked veteran quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year deal in free agency.
It came as a shock given Chicago’s pursuit of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who the Bears were all-in on. They even made a formal offer — three first-round picks, a third-round pick and two players — which the Seahawks turned down.
General manager Ryan Pace missed out on making his splash this offseason. So it wasn’t really a shock to see Chicago target a veteran in free agency after losing out on Wilson.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bears coaches were “thrilled” with landing Dalton in free agency.
“I’m told inside the building there with the coaches, they are thrilled with the Dalton pick because when it came to free agency, they broke down all the potential starters,” Fowler said, via Bleacher Report. “You had the Jameis Winstons, Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dalton, I’m told, was very high on their list.
“They felt like they’ve been churning out eight-win seasons, despite having some spotty quarterback play. They think that just capable play with Dalton can really elevate them to a new level and with reuniting with former offensive coordinator Bill Lazor in Cincinnati, they think they can produce there.”
Dalton has found success in the past, but going off his most recent performance with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, there’s a lot to be desired in a Bears offense that had its struggles beyond quarterback last season.
While Bears coaches might be encouraged that Dalton can find success in this offense, it’s hard to believe that Dalton was high on Chicago’s list given their aggressive pursuit to land Wilson. All this QB1 chatter and praise doesn’t mean much when evidence suggests that he was the rebound.
[listicle id=470384]