The Chicago Bears face one of the most telling offseasons in recent memory. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy have the full backing of ownership despite a disappointing 2019 season. However, both also know that expectations are high for this team. It’s felt this roster is good enough to win a Super Bowl, at least on the defensive side. Offensively? Well let’s just say they need work.
There are some positive standouts to be sure. Allen Robinson is a stud at wide receiver. Cody Whitehair and James Daniels look like long-term stalwarts on the offensive line. David Montgomery showed a lot of promise at running back. Beyond that though? There are a lot of questions. Anthony Miller is enduring another surgery on his shoulder. Every tight end can be viewed as disposable after none of them topped 100 yards last year.
Then there’s the quarterback.
It’s no secret Mitch Trubisky came in well below expectations in 2019. Enough to where many became convinced he isn’t the answer for this franchise. Many are calling for the Bears to make a change, or at least bring in legitimate competition. Thus far Pace hasn’t entertained that idea. At least not publicly. Privately? It might be a different story. So much so that NFL columnist Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic believes they will make a major trade to get some insurance.
“The Bears are in a tricky spot. They don’t want to admit their mistake with Trubisky and add someone to be the unquestioned starter. But they also don’t want to put all their eggs in Trubisky’s basket. Enter (Nick) Foles. The Jaguars will have to take a financial hit, but they can at least get something in return for him as they move forward with Gardner Minshew.
Matt Nagy coached Foles in Kansas City. New Bears offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was Foles’ quarterbacks coach when he threw 27 touchdown passes and two interceptions in 2013. New Bears quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo was Foles’ coach when he won a Super Bowl with the Eagles and also coached him last year in Jacksonville. The coaching staff should know his strengths and weaknesses. Foles is an elite teammate with great veteran perspective.”
Connections between Foles and Chicago Bears are many
Of all the notable veteran quarterbacks viewed as “available” this 2020 offseason, none have more solid connections to the Bears than Foles. Three guys have worked with him in the past including the most important one in Matt Nagy himself. It’s no secret the Jaguars are likely moving forward with Minshew, saddling them with that massive contract they gave Foles at a time when their salary cap situation is remarkably tight.
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This could be as advantageous a scenario for the Bears as one could ask for. They could offer to take the contract off the Jaguars’ hands but in exchange demand some sort of draft compensation along with it. Similar to what the Cleveland Browns did in the Brock Osweiler deal with Houston a few years ago. It wouldn’t be easy. Pace would have to clear up a significant amount of cap space to make it work. Still, the potential benefits are hard to deny.
They get a 31-year old quarterback with a Super Bowl MVP aware who knows their system better than anybody. You can’t ask for much more.
