Tag: Mike Glennon

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.

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Bears had 23 starting QBs during Tom Brady era in New England

Quarterback is the one position that has snakebitten the Bears most in their 100-year history.

This isn’t going to be an easy pill to swallow for Bears fans. Then again, poor quarterback play has become expected with this franchise, especially in recent memory.

Tom Brady made a splash in free agency choosing to sign with the Buccaneers, which marked the end of an era in New England. Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the Patriots, and during that time the Bears have seen an influx of starting quarterbacks.

Chicago has had 23 different starting quarterbacks since the start of the Brady era in New England in 2001.

The Bears trail only the Browns for the most starting quarterbacks during the Brady era in New England.

Let’s take a look at those starting quarterbacks:

  • Jim Miller
  • Shane Matthews
  • Chris Chandler
  • Henry Burris
  • Kordell Stewart
  • Rex Grossman
  • Craig Krenzel
  • Chad Hutchinson
  • Jonathan Quinn
  • Kyle Orton
  • Brian Griese
  • Jay Cutler
  • Todd Collins
  • Caleb Hanie
  • Josh McCown
  • Jason Campbell
  • Jimmy Clausen
  • Matt Barkley
  • Brian Hoyer
  • Mike Glennon
  • Mitchell Trubisky
  • Chase Daniel

Not exactly a reassuring list for a position that continues to plague the Bears. And that list might only continue to grow following the addition of Nick Foles, which could signal the end of the Mitchell Trubisky era in Chicago.

Wasn’t it easier when kicker was Chicago’s biggest concern?

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Who is Bears’ best free-agent signing since 2015?

Bears GM Ryan Pace has caught some flack for some of his free agent signings, but there have been some absolute hits for the Bears.

While Bears general manager Ryan Pace has caught some flack for some of his free agent signings, and rightfully so, there have been some moves that have been absolute hits for the Bears.

ESPN recently discussed some of the best and worst free agent signings for each team dating back to 2015. There’s a few that jump to mind when discussing the Bears, but ultimately Jeff Dickerson landed at receiver Allen Robinson, who has been an absolute stud in his two years in Chicago.

He already outperformed the three-year, $42 million deal he signed with Chicago. Robinson led the Bears with 98 catches for 1,147 yards and seven touchdowns last year — quite an accomplishment on a team that ranked 29th in total offense and 25th in passing offense. Robinson also posted decent numbers in 2018 (55-754-4) while still recovering from the nasty knee injury he suffered in Jacksonville. Robinson seems a logical candidate to receive an extension from the Bears in the near future.

While Robinson has proven to be an absolute home run with the Bears, you could argue that defensive tackle Akiem Hicks has been Pace’s best free agent signing. Hicks is an absolute monster in the middle of that defense, and he played through his initial contract to earn a well-deserved extension in 2017.

As for the Bears’ worst free agent signing of the last five years, the 18.5-million dollar man Mike Glennon takes the cake.

Yikes. The Bears paid Glennon $18.5 million for four starts in 2017. Chicago intended for Glennon to start the entire year so the club could groom second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky. The plan completely backfired. Everyone lost, except Glennon, who walked away with a small fortune courtesy of the Bears.

With free agency just days away, all eyes will be on Pace and what free-agent moves he has up his sleeve for 2020. Hopefully, they fall on the Robinson/Hicks end of the spectrum and not the Glennon side.

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Mike Glennon dubbed second worst free-agent signing of last 10 years

Believe it or not, there was a time when the Bears QB situation was worse than Mitchell Trubisky.

The quarterback curse has followed the Bears for the better part of their storied 100-year history. Aside from players like Sid Luckman and Jim McMahon, Chicago has seen some pretty rough quarterbacks.

While Mitchell Trubisky occupies that current spot for the Bears, as the former No. 2 overall pick continued to struggle in Year 3, there was a time when things were worse than Trubisky.

Believe it or not.

Remember a little someone named Mike Glennon? Glennon, who got $18.5 million guaranteed to be a decoy for Ryan Pace in his pursuit of Trubisky. Glennon, who started four games in 2017 before he was replaced by Trubisky.

Sporting News called Glennon the second worst free agent signing of the last 10 years, and it’s easy to see why.

Glennon struggled through the first four games of the 2017 season before he was benched in favor of the rookie (Trubisky.) Fortunately, Chicago structured Glennon’s contract in a way that allowed it to cut him with a dead cap charge of just $4.5 million, but that was after it paid him $16 million for his four starts, three of which resulted in losses.

On the bright side, Bears fans only had to endure Glennon for four games. That, and Chicago structured his deal in a way where it didn’t cost them a fortune to part ways with him the following offseason.

But Pace’s overspending on Glennon and subsequent trading up to select Trubisky made it one of the worst moves of Pace’s tenure in Chicago.

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2020 NFL Free Agency: Top Raiders targets for the Saints

The New Orleans Saints could consider Oakland Raiders pending free agents like Mike Glennon, Daryl Worley, and Benson Mayowa in 2020.

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The Raiders will be on the move in 2020, relocating from Oakland to Las Vegas with a tough slate of opponents lined up for their inaugural season — including the New Orleans Saints. Before that, though, both squads must sort through lengthy lists of pending free agents as they seek to cut dead weight and improve their roster. That means some Raiders players could appeal to the Saints once they hit the open market. Here’s the full list:

  • CB Daryl Worley
  • CB Makinton Dorleant (ERFA)
  • CB D.J. Killings (ERFA)
  • DE Benson Mayowa
  • DE Olsen Pierre
  • DE Dion Jordan
  • DE Jeremiah Valoaga (ERFA)
  • DT Josh Mauro
  • FS Curtis Riley
  • K Daniel Carlson (ERFA)
  • LB Will Compton
  • LB Vontaze Burfict
  • LB Kyle WIlber
  • LB Nicholas Morrow (RFA)
  • LB Ukeme Eligwe (RFA)
  • LS Trent Sieg (ERFA)
  • OG Jordan Devey
  • OG Richie Incognito
  • OG Cameron Hunt (ERFA)
  • OT David Sharpe
  • QB Mike Glennon
  • QB Nathan Peterman (RFA)
  • RB Isaiah Crowell
  • RB Rod Smith
  • RB DeAndre Washington
  • SS Karl Joseph
  • SS Dallin Leavitt (ERFA)
  • TE Eric Tomlinson
  • WR Dwayne Harris
  • WR Keelan Doss (ERFA)

How much stock should we put in Sean Payton’s past praise of Mike Glennon? The Saints head coach admitted he was a fan of Glennon’s back when he first entered the NFL (as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick), and it’s possible Payton looks to Glennon as a backup should Teddy Bridgewater leave in free agency. We would prefer the Saints to find someone better-skilled than Glennon, but he fits the bill as a veteran clipboard-holder.

Karl Joseph could be a name worth monitoring here. While he hasn’t lived up to his draft status, Joseph is an experienced safety who could help replace Vonn Bell (if the Saints don’t re-sign their starting strong safety). Joseph has averaged 4.8 tackles per game in his four-year career and may benefit from a change of scenery.

Keep an eye on Daryl Worley; he’s been credited with 34 pass deflections in four years, and the Saints should have some familiarity with him since he began his career with the Carolina Panthers. Worley has the size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) and starter’s experience that could benefit a team short-handed at corner like New Orleans.

Lastly: Benson Mayowa makes sense at defensive end, but the Saints may have to splurge if he’s a target. The 28-year-old finally broke out after spending his first six years as a career backup, logging 7 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 2019. While he’d be a nice pickup while Marcus Davenport rehabs his surgically-repaired foot, this is Mayowa’s chance to cash in on the free agent market, and the Saints may not be willing to pay up.

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If Teddy Bridgewater leaves in free agency, who could replace him?

The New Orleans Saints will have options to replace Teddy Bridgewater in free agency with Marcus Mariota, Mike Glennon, and other veterans.

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What are the New Orleans Saints going to do at quarterback this year?

It’s an easy question to ask, and almost too simple to try and answer. They should re-sign Drew Brees for one more year, if he’s willing, because he gives the Saints their best shot at winning a Super Bowl title. They should also keep Teddy Bridgewater around as a top-paid backup, because he impressed while winning all five of his starts. And Taysom Hill should return on a cheap restricted free agent tender; he’s a fun weapon who can run and catch, but has shown some serious limitations as a passer. It’s fine if his future isn’t at quarterback.

But things rarely go according to plan in the NFL. Bridgewater should be a hot commodity in free agency — we’ve already highlighted several teams who could try to sign him away from New Orleans. While the Saints can’t afford to pay a starter’s salary to both Brees and Bridgewater (or other top free agents like Dak Prescott, Ryan Tannehill, or Jameis Winston), he’s definitely earned it, and it’s very possible the backup leaves town in pursuit of a starting gig.

So let’s say Bridgewater bows out for greater opportunities, while Brees and Hill remain. Which free agents could the Saints try to recruit in free agency to pad out the depth chart at quarterback? Here are four options that could make sense.

Marcus Mariota

He makes sense if… The Saints see him as a future starter. Mariota is on the outs, having flopped as a high first-round pick with the Tennessee Titans. But it’s not like he was surrounded by offensive masterminds. In fact, he’s had to work with a new coordinator every year he’s played in the NFL. The Saints could offer rare stability for the 26-year-old quarterback, who thrived with similar passing concepts in college. Mariota is kind of similar to Bridgewater, having protected the ball well while struggling to pull the trigger on deep-field throws. Maybe Saints coach Sean Payton can tap into the potential the Titans squandered.

Trevor Siemian

He makes sense if… Payton wants another reclamation project. An ugly ankle injury ended Siemian’s season before it could get off the ground, but he’s a mechanically-sound passer who’s won games in this league. Granted, he’s only gone 13-11 as a starter with the Denver Broncos, but that isn’t far from Bridgewater’s mark of 17-11 with the Minnesota Vikigns. Siemian has shown he can navigate a collapsing pocket and hit receivers in stride. He’d be worth a look as someone who could develop behind Brees and compete with Hill for the starting job in the future.

Chase Daniel

He makes sense if… The Saints aren’t worried about life after 2020. Let’s say that the Saints have a ton of faith in Hill’s projection in the long-term. If he’s their guy after Brees calls it a career, they won’t need a younger option to work with while pursuing a Super Bowl berth next season. Daniel knows the offense well, won’t break the bank, and can provide a steady presence for Brees to workshop new signature handshakes with during his swan song. At 33, he could easily stick around as a safety blanket should Hill struggle in the starting role later on down the road.

Mike Glennon

He makes sense if… Chase Daniel is ready to retire. Maybe Daniel wants to go out on top, with $34.3 million and a couple of Super Bowl rings to his credit. If so, Glennon makes sense as a veteran alternative. Payton has been a fan of Glennon going back to the 2014 NFL Draft, even if the N.C. State product’s career hasn’t gone as hoped. He was immediately replaced by the Chicago Bears when they made an ill-advised trade up for Mitchell Trubisky, and spent last season quietly on the bench behind Oakland Raiders passer Derek Carr. Maybe Payton still likes him enough to ask Glennon to hold a clipboard for a year while Brees chases another Super Bowl.

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Irish in the NFL: DeShone Kizer elevated to backup QB

The Oakland Raiders have bumped former Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer to number two on the depth chart, and plan to activate him Sunday.

Former Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer is inching closer to being a starting NFL quarterback.

The third-string QB for the Raiders behind Derek Carr and Mike Glennon for the majority of the 2019 season, Kizer was recently informed that he has passed Glennon on the depth chart and will be active for the first time this season on Sunday against the Titans.

“We’ve looked at him and we’ve made the decision that we’re going to move him up to the number two spot this week,” said offensive coordinator Greg Olson. “But I’ll let Jon [Gruden] answer those questions in regards to the entire depth chart and the decisions that were made there. We do like what we’ve seen out of DeShone.”

Glennon fumbled twice against the Jets two weeks ago when he came in to replace Carr in a blowout loss.

Kizer is a third-year vet who signed with Oakland just before the season started, and has spent the entire year getting caught up.

It appears he is ready to go now, and should anything happen to Carr he would be the man under center for this Raiders squad.

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