Report: Eli Manning had dinner with Bears in Chicago

The Bears met with retired QB Eli Manning at Oriole restaurant in downtown Chicago on Wednesday evening, according to multiple individuals.

If you thought the Bears quarterback carousel was already spinning out of control, the ride may have just spun off its tracks.

After weeks of reports stating the team has been interested in a half-dozen signal callers, from the Raiders’ Derek Carr to the Bengals’ Andy Dalton, a new rumor has surfaced saying the team dined with a player who was thought to be completely off the table this spring: retired Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

The Bears brass met with Manning at Oriole restaurant in downtown Chicago on Wednesday evening, according to multiple individuals.

The rumored dinner with Manning is curious, to say the least. After starting only a handful of games in 2019 before getting supplanted by rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, Manning decided to retire in late January following a 16-year career. He won two Super Bowl championships in 2007 and 2011 and finished his career as the Giants’ all-time leading passer. But could he be considering a comeback with the quarterback-needy Bears?

Manning’s ties to the Bears are very loose at this point. New quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo served as the offensive quality control coach for the Giants from 2005-2006 when Manning was quarterback, but that’s where the connection ends.

Is the team turning over every stone when it comes to finding a veteran who can push Trubisky, who crashed down to earth last season following a pro-bowl caliber sophomore campaign in 2018? Or are they simply picking the brain of one of the most accomplished passers in the last 15 years?

It is important to note that while Manning did retire, he was set to hit free agency in March. If he decides to unretire, the Giants would not have control over his rights and Manning would become a free agent.

Whatever the reason for the meeting, however, it’s yet another chapter in the team’s seemingly unending search for a quarterback. With just days left until March 16, when teams can legally tamper with free agents, the answers will arrive at some point. But this quarterback carousel is currently rolling down the street and nobody knows exactly when it will stop.

[lawrence-related id=439214,439152,439282]