Tag: Bears quarterbacks

Bears promote QB Tyler Bray to the active roster

The Bears made a surprise roster move ahead of Sunday’s game against the Colts as they promoted QB Tyler Bray to the active roster.

The Chicago Bears have made a roster move ahead of Sunday’s Week 4 contest against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears have promoted quarterback Tyler Bray from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced Saturday. That makes three quarterbacks on Chicago’s active roster with starter Nick Foles and backup Mitchell Trubisky.

The move certainly comes as a surprise given the Bears already have Foles and Trubisky on the roster.

As ChicagoBears.com notes: “Due to a provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that was reached in March, NFL teams can activate up to two players from their practice squad without releasing anyone, effectively increasing their active roster from 53 to 55.”

Why the Bears decided to promote Bray remains a mystery. But it could just be a precaution with COVID-19 concerns.

Here’s your sad Bears quarterback stat of the day

Bears fans don’t need to be reminded just how ugly their franchise’s QB history is, with the latest coming with Trubisky’s comeback win.

[jwplayer yVj28rLg-ThvAeFxT]

Chicago Bears fans don’t need to be reminded just how ugly their franchise’s quarterback history is. But it’s hard to avoid some pretty brutal stats involving Bears quarterbacks on a regular basis.

The latest sad Bears quarterback stat of the day comes courtesy of the Bears’ improbable fourth-quarter comeback against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, where Chicago overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Lions 27-23.

Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was integral in the comeback — even if he played a part in the initial deficit. Trubisky completed 80% of his passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions for a 143.3 passer rating in the fourth quarter.

According to ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer, Trubisky became the first Bears quarterback to pass for at least three touchdowns with no interceptions in a season opener in the franchise’s history.

Which is pretty sad considering the Bears have 100 years of history prior to Trubisky’s impressive fourth-quarter performance last Sunday.

When all was said and done, Trubisky completed 20-of-36 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns with a passer rating of 104.2. He added 26 rushing yards on three carries.

[vertical-gallery id=454581]

[lawrence-related id=454817,454734,454789,454784,454778]

Unsurprisingly, the Bears have the worst QB play in the Super Bowl era

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Chicago Bears have been bad at the quarterback position.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Chicago Bears have been bad at the quarterback position.

How bad you ask? According to ESPN’s Quarterback Index, the Bears rank dead last in terms of quarterback production in the Super Bowl era. Chicago has started 50 quarterbacks during that span, which is the most of any NFL team during that time.

Here’s one reason the Bears finished last in the rankings. There are 126 instances of a player throwing 30 touchdown passes in a season, and 186 instances of a player with 4,000 passing yards in a season in NFL history. Yet no Bears player has done either. They are the only franchise never to have a 4,000-yard passer, despite having played 100 seasons. The stat is so mind-boggling, I had to extend it beyond the Super Bowl era.

According to ESPN, the Bears’ best quarterback was Jim McMahon, the only Bears quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Ultimately, it was McMahon’s injury struggles that were his downfall.

As for Chicago’s worst quarterback — and there are plenty to choose from — Cade McNown took the honors. McNown won just 3 of 15 starts with the Bears.

ESPN broke down their rankings by category — overall QB production, Pro-Bowl caliber seasons, QB continuity and overall. You won’t be shocked to know that Chicago ranked in the bottom two of all of those.

  • Overall QB production – 32nd
  • Pro-Bowl caliber seasons – 32nd
  • QB continuity – 31st
  • Overall – 32nd

With former No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky’s struggles and the free-agent addition of Nick Foles, the Bears still find themselves floundering at QB. Whether that will change any time soon remains to be seen.

[vertical-gallery id=445818]

[lawrence-related id=449082,449071,449022,449056,448990]

Where does the Bears’ QB situation rank among the rest of the NFL?

Between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles, there’s not a whole lot of confidence in Chicago’s quarterback situation.

The Chicago Bears haven’t had much luck with quarterbacks during their storied 100-year franchise. While the tide appeared to be turning with Mitchell Trubisky last offseason, he regressed in his third season and now his future in Chicago is well in question.

General manager Ryan Pace brought in Nick Foles to compete with Trubisky for the starting quarterback position, which signals a lack of confidence in Trubisky. Even with the added competition in Foles, there’s not a whole lot of confidence in Chicago’s quarterback situation.

Sports Illustrated‘s Conor Orr ranked every NFL team’s quarterback situation heading into 2020, and the Bears are higher than some people might’ve guessed at No. 21.

Depth chart: Mitch Trubisky, Nick Foles, Tyler Bray

I will be accused of putting the Bears unfathomably high on this list, which is fair. I seem to have more faith in Nick Foles coming back to a familiar system (with a great playcaller) than most, especially in a condensed offseason. The roster contains two quarterbacks who, in the right situation, are good enough to pilot this offense to a winning season.

Trubisky and Foles will battle for the starting position this offseason. Realistically, both have the potential to lead a functioning Bears offense to victory.

But if Trubisky or Foles is going to succeed, they’re going to need help from the rest of the offense. Chicago’s offense was among the worst in the NFL last season, due to a number of issues outside of just quarterback.

Regardless of who wins the job, the Bears have two starting quarterbacks on their roster that could step in should they need to.

[lawrence-related id=442009,442045,441886,441911]

ESPN: Mitchell Trubisky has ‘inside track’ in Bears’ QB competition

The Bears will hold an open QB competition with Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles, and Trubisky appears to have the advantage…for now.

Following a disappointing season for Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, the former No. 2 overall pick has been put on notice this offseason.

The Bears traded for former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, and suddenly Trubisky’s future as Chicago’s starting signal caller is in jeopardy. But the addition of Foles doesn’t necessarily mean he’s guaranteed the starting job. And, from the sound of it, Foles will have to beat out Trubisky for the spot.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bears will hold an open quarterback competition with Trubisky and Foles. Fowler noted that Trubisky appears to have the advantage heading into training camp, but there’s no guarantee.

Multiple sources say the Bears will essentially hold an open competition for the top quarterback spot, and though the incumbent will have the inside track, nothing is promised.

While there’s no way to know how the coronavirus pandemic will affect the NFL’s offseason training plans — all team facilities are currently closed — Foles won’t necessarily be at a disadvantage heading into this quarterback competition.

Considering Foles has operated in an Andy Reid offense before, he’s familiar with the system that Matt Nagy runs in Chicago. Still, you figure Trubisky still has the upper hand considering he’s headed into Year 3 of Nagy’s offense, and the Bears have one more year to figure out if there’s anything in Trubisky worth salvaging.

Even if Trubisky managed to win the starting job, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be Chicago’s starter through the entire season. Should Trubisky’s struggles continue in Year 4, the Bears could turn to an experienced veteran that has a proven track record of winning coming off the bench.

But if Foles wins the job, none of this will matter.

[lawrence-related id=441274,441251,441230,441242]

Tank for Trevor Lawrence in 2020? Bears fans and experts debate

The Bears are in win-now mode. But would they be better off trying to tank for next year’s NFL Draft prize in Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence?

Chicago Bears fans know the pain and agony of not having a true franchise quarterback all too well. In the team’s 100 year history, not a single player has thrown for 4,000 yards or scored 30 touchdowns, milestones that become more pedestrian by the year.

The Bears took another stab at solving its continued conundrum this offseason, trading for the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback and Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles in hopes of pushing, and possibly supplanting, starter Mitchell Trubisky following a disappointing 2019 season.

The trade, along with other free agent acquisitions such as tight end Jimmy Graham and edge rusher Robert Quinn, prove the team is in win-now mode. But would they be better off trying to tank for next year’s prize in the 2021 NFL Draft, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence?

Lawrence, the sensational sophomore quarterback, led the Tigers to a National Championship over the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2018-19 and became the talk of college football. The 6′ 6″ 220-pound passer was tabbed as the likely first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft two years out and will be the focus of many teams when college football returns this fall.

But when it comes to the Bears, are they in position to land Lawrence? The question became a hot topic this past weekend and many experts and fans had an opinion on the matter.

To start, Ben Brown of Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently published an article detailing which teams should consider tanking for the college phenom this season. The Bears were fourth on their list, and PFF made the case for why they are in good position to potentially land Lawrence:

Nick Foles immediately emerges as the odds-on favorite to win the starting quarterback position for the Bears after being traded from Jacksonville. Foles had the perfect contract to take on, as it contained a guaranteed salary in 2020 with only a $5 million roster bonus thereafter, according to OverTheCap.com.

This gives the Bears the opportunity to evaluate Nick Foles, and if he plays well, the Bears could keep him for two more seasons. If he doesn’t play anywhere near the 2018 Super Bowl MVP level he has flashed, the Bears can move on from him and hopefully be in a position to draft (Justin) Fields or Lawrence in 2021.

Brown argues the Bears could easily move on from Foles if this season doesn’t work out for a small penalty and hopefully be in a position to land Lawrence or another highly-touted college quarterback such as Ohio State’s Justin Fields. Trubisky, meanwhile, could also come off the books depending on how the team decides to handle his fifth-year option.

PFF made their case for the tank while one Bears writer gave fans two options on the matter. NBC Sports Chicago’s Bryan Perez created a “would you rather” scenario regarding Lawrence, asking if fans would rather see an 11-5 season culminate in a loss in the NFC Championship game with Nick Foles, or see them go 3-13 and land Lawrence in 2021.

The results, as expected were mixed.

While having a player such as Lawrence don the navy and orange in 2021 would be a pleasant sight to see, I would still opt for the first scenario. The Bears have made the playoffs five times in 20 years, winning only three playoff games. To have the team finish in the NFL’s final four would be worth celebrating, even if it means not winning a Super Bowl. The Bears would still be set up for success and the core of the team would remain the same.

Stumbling to a 3-13 record, while it would land Lawrence, would create another set of problems. A new coaching staff, possibly jettisoning key players and bringing in a whole new regime for the third time in a decade for a player who appears to be the real deal, but isn’t guaranteed to have success in the NFL. One player, even a quarterback, cannot save a franchise if the other pillars are constantly being rebuilt. Teams who don’t have stability usually don’t have success.

The argument on whether or not to tank for a highly-touted quarterback is always an interesting one and is here to stay. But given the Bears current pieces, they’re in win-now mode and should do what it takes to rise to the top. Even if that means trying to catch lightning in a bottle at the quarterback position for yet another year.

[lawrence-related id=441274,441251,441230,441242]

Mitchell Trubisky has been put on notice following early free agency

Following a disappointing season for Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky, his future as Chicago’s starting signal-caller isn’t so clear.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. But the Chicago Bears have a quarterback controversy.

Just last year, Mitchell Trubisky was heading into the offseason as the clear-cut starter. But what a difference a season makes.

Following a disappointing third year, where Trubisky regressed instead of progressing, his future as Chicago’s starting signal-caller isn’t so clear.

General manager Ryan Pace made that much clear when he traded for former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, kickstarting a quarterback competition that will wage on in training camp.

So when Bleacher Report took a look at some players that have been put on notice following the early wave of free agency, Trubisky is the obvious choice for the Bears.

Trubisky vs. Foles is the worst kind of quarterback competition: fast-fading former prospect against overpriced journeyman. The Bears are throwing time, money and resources at two players, hoping one of them turns his career around. The most likely result will be a season of flip-flopping, Foles fumbles, Trubisky blunders and another missed opportunity to make a Super Bowl run while the defense still has a few championship-caliber pieces.

The addition of Foles doesn’t necessarily spell the end of Trubisky’s career in Chicago, but it’s definitely cause for concern for the former No. 2 overall pick. At the very least, Trubisky’s job is at stake.

When looking at the offense’s struggles from a season ago, it’s easy to point the finger at the quarterback alone. But Trubisky wasn’t the only issue for the Bears last season.

The offensive line, tight end, run game and play calling, in addition to quarterback, all contributed to the lack of production on offense. The focus this offseason has been on fixing those weaknesses, although even with the moves this offseason, it’s hard to believe this Bears offense is close to flipping a switch.

Quarterback was certainly a major concern last season. But if the Bears don’t address those offensive concerns, it won’t matter who’s under center for Chicago come Week 1.

[lawrence-related id=441161,441065,441093,441089]

The Bears are bringing back QB Tyler Bray

While the Bears’ QB room is going to look different this season, it appears there will be a second familiar face in Tyler Bray.

While the Bears’ quarterback room is going to look different this season, it appears there will be at least two familiar faces.

Third-string quarterback Tyler Bray has re-signed with the Bears, according to Field Yates, where he’ll sit behind Mitchell Trubisky and newcomer Nick Foles, who will both be vying for the starting job in 2020.

Bray has been with the Bears since 2018, when he was brought in to serve as a mentor for Trubisky and to serve on Chicago’s practice squad. Bray has played under Nagy during his two seasons with the Bears, as well as with the Chiefs in 2014 and 2017.

Under the new collective bargaining rules, Bray is once again a candidate for the Bears practice squad, where there’s no limit on the number of years that a player is eligible for the practice squad.

Bray’s re-signing doesn’t necessarily rule out Chicago targeting a quarterback in this year’s draft. Considering the continued struggles at the quarterback position, general manager Ryan Pace needs to at least target a developmental prospect in the draft.

[lawrence-related id=441052,441076,441057,440811]

The Bears have a QB battle heading into 2020 – who wins it?

The Chicago Bears now have a QB battle after trading for Nick Foles in the offseason. The question is: Who starts Week 1, Trubisky or Foles?

Heading into the offseason, Bears fans didn’t know if they’d be stuck with Mitchell Trubisky as the starting quarterback for the 2020 season or if general manager Ryan Pace would bring in some sort of competition for Trubisky.

Well, surprisingly enough, Pace went out and traded a fourth-round compensatory draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. Many thought that this trade absolutely sucked and some thought the trade was a win for the Bears.

After trading for Foles, the Bears restructured his contract, but they inherited the final three years of his contract, which includes a total of $21 million in guarantees.

Some Bears’ fans argue that Foles isn’t much of an upgrade over Trubisky. But then Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes that the Foles trade wasn’t done to push Trubisky — it was done to replace him.

The Bears didn’t give up the 120th pick in the draft and guarantee him more than $20 Million to Foles to have his arrival spark a fire under Mitchell Trubisky.

The Bears don’t have time during the season to determine if things are going to suddenly click for Trubisky. If they struggle offensively from the start and find themselves behind a month into the season, that creates an uphill climb. No matter how the team frames an offseason or training camp competition for the job.

I firmly believe Foles will emerge as Nagy’s guy before the opener

Heading into training camp, the Bears will have a quarterback competition. So who starts Week 1?

[polldaddy poll=10526006]

[lawrence-related id=441036,440811,440948,440994]

It’s official: Bears have the worst starting QBs in Super Bowl era

Bears fans are well-aware of the franchise’s QB struggles. But there’s statistical clarification of just how bad Bears QBs have been.

Chicago Bears fans are well-aware of the franchise’s quarterback struggles. Names like Cade McNown, Rex Grossman, Jack Concannon, Vince Evans, Jonathan Quinn and Mike Glennon are reminders of Chicago’s grim history at sports’ most important position.

But in case you needed statistical clarification of just how bad Bears quarterbacks have been, look no further than the nugget NFL Network’s James Palmer shared.

The Bears rank last — not near last, dead last — in five major statistical categories for quarterbacks since the start of the Super Bowl era.

Since 1966, Chicago quarterbacks rank last in passing yards per game, passing yards per attempt, passing touchdowns per game, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating.

And it doesn’t appear there’s an end in sight for the Bears’ quarterback struggles with Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles set to battle it out for the starting job this season.

[lawrence-related id=440606,440589,440548,440461]