Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has a new backup. On Wednesday, the team agreed to sign quarterback P.J. Walker to a two-year deal, giving the Bears a new option behind Fields. They also said goodbye to Trevor Siemian, who was released on Thursday following the acquisition.
Walker comes to the Bears after spending three seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He saw limited game action in 2020 and 2021, but played in five contests this past season, throwing for 731 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in the middle of the year. He came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts, but made his mark with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks as the leader in passing yards and touchdowns in 2020 prior to the league folding due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the acquisition of Walker, the Bears decided to find a player that has similar skills to Fields. Here is our initial grade of the signing.