Andy Dalton? Marcus Mariota? Which free-agent QB will Bears go after?
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears will pursue a veteran quarterback this offseason to push incumbent starter Mitchell Trubisky. That’s no secret.
Under no circumstances can the Bears enter the 2020 season with a quarterbacks room that consists solely of Trubisky, Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray.
For that reason, the Bears have to prepare for the likelihood of a midseason quarterback change by signing or trading for an experienced No. 2 passer who can take over for Trubisky (if necessary) and help Chicago still win games.
• The downside: The Bears will probably have competition to land Dalton. The Patriots need a new starting quarterback if Looking ahead to the offseason: Why it makes sense: Smith checks every box — except health. The veteran quarterback is super tight with Nagy from their time together in Kansas City. For years, Smith, 35, was one the most efficient quarterbacks in the AFC. Whatever system Nagy intends to run in 2020, Smith could probably master it. Smith was said to be terrific influence on a young Patrick Mahomes before the Chiefs traded Smith to the Redskins after the 2017 season. The downside: Smith suffered a catastrophic leg injury in 2018 and hasn’t played since. There’s no telling whether Smith’s career is over. Why it makes sense: Because he’s Tom Brady. The downside: Why would he choose Chicago? What are Brady’s connections to the Bears? Brady is, of course, better than Trubisky, but Chicago has missed the playoffs eight of nine years. The Bears’ offense finished near the bottom in every important statistical category last year. The last great Bears quarterback was Sid Luckman who played in the 1940s. There are a couple of attractive destinations for Brady besides New England, but Chicago doesn’t appear to be one of them.
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