The Chicago Bears QB situation should feel familiar to most fans at this point. A physically gifted guy is coming off a disappointing year. It’s like a broken record. Mitch Trubisky was expensive for this team to acquire but those resources don’t appear to have solved the age-old problem that has plagued this franchise for decades. Nobody debates that the kid is a leader and works hard, but something is missing. He just can’t seem to grasp the speed of the NFL with any sort of consistency.
This has led to serious discussions about whether the team might look for different options this coming offseason. Thanks to a series of timely developments, it looks like the free agent and trade markets could be bountiful with interesting quarterbacks this coming March. So many in fact that it creates some intrigue the Bears might actually have options they could get at a bargain either as competition to Trubisky or outright replacements.
Nothing is ever that simple though. So it’s best to get appraised of what exactly the landscape looks like at present. Here is every notable quarterback being talked about right now and what the latest rumors are saying.
Chicago Bears QB options in free agency and their rumors
Philip Rivers
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Jay Glazer of The Athletic revealed recently that the Los Angeles Chargers have chosen to move on from Rivers after 16 years together. The quarterback has already moved his family from San Diego to Florida. This started speculation on where he could play next. Thus far two teams have emerged as possible landing spots in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. The Buccaneers make plenty of sense given their newfound proximity while the Colts play in a dome and have the sort of offensive line that the aging Rivers could still produce behind.
Teddy Bridgewater
Glazer also reported that the New Orleans Saints have made some decisions at quarterback as well. It’s quite simple. If Drew Brees wants to return, the job is his. If he decides to retire, then head coach Sean Payton wants to move forward with Taysom Hill as the starter. Not Bridgewater. This means the backup who went 5-0 in relief of Brees this past season will likely be a free agent. No particular team has emerged as a favorite yet but he’s expected to have a robust market.
Tom Brady
The greatest of all-time becoming a free agent. It just doesn’t sound right. Then again if such things could happen to Joe Montana and Peyton Manning, then Brady is no different. With his 43rd birthday on the horizon, the six-time champion made it clear he aims to play in 2020. Even if it’s not for the Patriots. There is speculation about where he might end up. However, many believe this will end in anticlimax as Brady will stay in New England. Especially since the team doesn’t have any clear heir apparent in place.
Cam Newton
With the entire Carolina Panthers infrastructure being overhauled, most assume that their star QB will be forced to move on as well. Newton is recovering from a foot injury and is expected to be 100% healthy for training camp. It’s a matter of determining where that will be. Benjamin Allbright of Pro Football Network has it on good authority the Chargers are the team to watch. They prefer someone with experience who can also hurt teams with his legs. Newton fits that profile perfectly.
Andy Dalton
It’s hardly a secret the Cincinnati Bengals plan to take Heisman winner Joe Burrow with the #1 overall pick in April. He will be their quarterback moving forward. This means Dalton is out. The only question is how and where. Odds are the Bengals can probably trade him for a late round pick to a team looking for a steady veteran QB. Peter King of NBC Sports believes that the Patriots are a team who should not be ignored. Bill Belichick likes football players and Dalton is a football player. He’s obviously not Brady, but he could give New England some breathing space until they find their next guy.
Nick Foles
The former Super Bowl MVP had a year to forget in 2019. He injured his shoulder in the first game of the season for Jacksonville, didn’t return until November, struggled when he got back and was ultimately benched for Gardner Minshew. Many speculate the Jaguars might try to get out from under Foles’ bloated contract, but ESPN’s Michael DiRocco believes it isn’t that clean-cut. The Jaguars coaching staff isn’t as sold on Minshew as some might believe and are willing to leave the door open for Foles to get his job back this summer.
Ryan Tannehill
The Comeback Player of the Year. Tannehill started as a backup in 2019 for the Titans before taking over as the starter and jumpstarting the team towards an AFC championship appearance. He looked sharp when throwing the ball during the entire run. Enough to where Tennessee is quite interested in working out a possible contract extension before Tannehill hits free agency in March. It would be a surprise if he goes elsewhere. At the very least the Titans have the franchise tag at their disposal. So something major would have to happen for him to move on.
Jameis Winston
Easily one of the most divisive quarterbacks in the NFL. Winston threw for over 5,000 yards and 33 touchdowns this past season. An impressive feat for any passer. However, he also threw 30 interceptions. He might be the biggest roller coaster of a quarterback the league has seen since Brett Favre. While it seems Tampa Bay is prepared to move on, this has left Winston in limbo. Somebody is bound to take a chance on him and one surprise team that emerged recently was the Las Vegas Raiders. It seems their head coach Jon Gruden is intrigued by the former #1 pick.
Marcus Mariota
A lot of outlets have felt that the Bears are the most obvious landing spot for the former #2 overall pick. Mariota lost his job to Tannehill in Tennessee and will be looking for a fresh opportunity elsewhere. He’s only 26-years old with signs of quality play scattered throughout his tenure there. The Bears run a system that fits his skill set perfectly and Pace was noted back in 2015 as having had a strong interest in the quarterback. Mariota wouldn’t be too expensive though he does share agents with Trubisky, which complicates matters. Not a lot is known about what the QB or the team wants to do. So it’s all speculation at this point.
