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The Chicago Bears finally got their first 4,000-yard passer in franchise history, it just wasn’t the one fans were hoping for.
Chicago shocked the NFL world when they signed quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth $10 million — and potentially $13 million with incentives.
It was a move made in desperation after Bears GM Ryan Pace made an aggressive move to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. When the Seahawks told the Bears that they weren’t trading Wilson, Chicago scrambled to sign Dalton.
While the disappointment of losing out on Wilson and settling for Dalton is a gruesome reality for Bears fans, let’s take a look at Dalton’s potential in Chicago.
When head coach Matt Nagy was asked about the three important qualities he was looking for in a quarterback, he named leadership, decision-making and versatility. So it’s not a surprise that Dalton was an option for Chicago.
Dalton’s leadership has been one of his defining qualities, along with his decision-making, where he’s managed to find timing and rhythm in the passing game. While you’re not likely going to have designed quarterback runs with Dalton in there, he remains a threat with his legs, even now.
Kicking off Week 14 videos with…Andy Dalton? Because why not.
*Timing and rhythm in the passing game
*A sweet route from Lamb
*Placement on the in cut down near the goalline pic.twitter.com/wKXYhqECyC— Mark Schofield (@MarkSchofield) December 14, 2020
Dalton wasn’t the addition everyone was waiting for, but he’s not a terrible one. And he’s also not the right one, which falls more on Pace than Dalton. This situation is what happens when you don’t have a definitive plan in place. Trading for Wilson was always going to be a long-shot, and signing Dalton was a move of desperation more than anything.
At this point, you assume Chicago will look to add another quarterback through the NFL draft, be it trading up for a top prospect or selecting a mid-tier guy to groom behind Dalton. Although, it’s still not a recipe for “win now.”
Now, Pace has hitched his and Nagy’s future on the right arm of Andy Dalton. It’s a bold strategy, we’ll see how it plays out for them.
Grade: D
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