Path Opened for Bears to Keep Third QB

Instead of putting a third QB on the practice squad, a rule change could make it wiser for the Bears to keep their extra passer on the 53-man roster.

USA Today

A rule tweak in effect this season could pave the way for an intriguing training camp battle at third Bears quarterback.

The battle would presumably be between Nathan Peterman and Division II undrafted free agent acquisition Tyson Bagent. The rule change, caused by the injuries the 49ers had last year when Brock Purdue suffered an injury in the NFC championship game, might even cause the Bears to keep both third-team QB candidates with one on the practice squad and one as a third on the 53-man roster.

The Bears have had a habit of keeping their third quarterback on the practice squad under both former coach Matt Nagy and current coach Matt Eberflus, except when Nick Foles was third quarterback in 2021. Now the NFL has decided to go back to a rule in effect until 2011, and that is a third quarterback who is on the 53-man roster but inactive for games can be designated as emergency QB and then brought into a game if necessary.

The catch here is that third quarterback can't be on the practice squad and then get elevated as one of the allowable promotions only for that week's game. It must be a third QB on the 53-man roster.

This will invite Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to keep the third QB on the 53-man roster all year, although they certainly have the option of leaving him on the practice squad if they want to take risks.

Leaving a third QB on the practice squad now obviously invites another team to come and pluck him away at any time because those players are not contractually bound to anyone. They're basically free agents who get paid to practice with a team at a facility.

The designation for an inactive third QB on the 53-man roster on game day must be made 90 minutes before the game, just like all inactives.

The new rule stipulates that if either of the first two QBs get cleared by medical personnel to return and play, then the third QB again is inactive in that game.

The Bears had a sticky situation last year when Justin Fields injured his shoulder against Atlanta Nov. 20. If he had been unable to continue, they would have been down to only Trevor Siemian at starter because Nathan Peterman was on the practice squad that day and not the 53-man roster. 

They elevated Peterman the following week to the 53-man roster and put him back on it Nov. 28 but then had to put him on the 53-man roster permanently Dec. 2 because Siemian had injured his oblique warming up for the Jets game. He managed to complete the game before going on season-ending IR.

Later, Fields injured his hip against Detroit on New Year's Day and didn't play in the finale. But the Bears had signed Tim Boyle off the Lions practice squad to their 53-man roster, so they had two QBs on the roster and were prepared when Fields couldn't play against Minnesota.

Is it better to keep Peterman, who has limited starting experience, or the rookie D-II record-setter, or both with Peterman as a third QB and the rookie on the practice squad? Or should they just leave one on the practice squad, cut the other and take a chance that they don't need a third QB to play.

The chances are probably good that third passer behind backup PJ Walker will be someone who takes up a spot on the 53-man roster, but the downside is he keeps another player off of it.

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