Bear Digest

Why Bears Backup Quarterback May Require Reconsideration

Analysis: A rating of backup quarterbacks in the NFL reveals a problem the Bears have going into this season and explains why it might be worthwhile pursuing Ryan Tannehill.

Gene Chamberlain

Tyson Bagent went 2-2 as a backup last year for the Bears but is rated one of the worst NFL backups by SI.com.
Tyson Bagent went 2-2 as a backup last year for the Bears but is rated one of the worst NFL backups by SI.com. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
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The issue of backup quarterback for the Bears gets overshadowed for a pair of reasons.

The first is starter Caleb Williams overshadows all else.

The second is it's assumed by most that Tyson Bagent is the backup because he played there last year for four starts and five games.

In actuality, there will be a real battle coming for this spot because Brett Rypien's experience in the NFL is a little greater than Bagent's and he has experience with this offense in two places from last season. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron knows Rypien and not Bagent.

Also, Bagent's credentials coming out of college were as a record-setting, unsigned free agent, Division II quarterback, but undrafted rookie Austin Reed is on the Bears roster now and he led a Division II team to the national championship. Then he went on to stand out as a passer at Division I Western Kentucky. Bagent never played Division I football.

Regardless, the backup quarterback situation for the Bears looks shaky compared to many other teams because of the lack of experience.

How shaky is it?

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano has done the website's annual ranking of backup quarterbacks and the Bears come up near the bottom with Tyson Bagent, although it's not difficult to make a case the ranking is too high.

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Bagent is ranked the 26th best backup quarterback out of 32.

"Bagent made a name for himself as an undrafted rookie last year, delivering an impressive win against the Raiders," Manzano writes.

Bagent also beat Carolina and was 2-2 in starts. His fumble on a sack for a TD return provided Minnesota with the decisive points in the game he relieved injured Justin Fields, and he lost to the Saints by throwing five interceptions.

In his five games played, Bagent completed an outstanding 65.7% (94 of 143) but they were for only 6 yards an attempt. He threw six interceptions to three TD passes for a 71.4 passer rating.

Manzano has him graded behind Detroit's Hendon Hooker (25th), who hasn't played in an NFL game. He is rated one spot ahead of Davis Mills, who was a starter one season in Houston.

Also graded behind Bagent is Green Bay's Sean Clifford (31st), Chargers backup Easton Stick (30th), Ravens backup Josh Johnson (29th) and Washington's Marcus Mariota (28th).

The ranking above Mariota seems a real stretch. Mariota has started 74 games, won 34 of them, and has a lifetime passer rating of 89.2. This is better than 10 veteran NFL starters.

When Jimmy Garaoppolo is a backup QB and ranked behind Josh Dobbs, who was an embarrassment against the Bears last year, there have to be questions about the ratings.

Ryan Tannehill is the last of the free agent quarterbacks still worth signing.

Considering the Bears have started the backup quarterback at least two games each of the last four seasons, haven't had a full season from a starter since 2009 and have averaged 3.8 starts a season from backups since that 2009 season, being more serious about who plays behind Caleb Williams might be something for Ryan Poles to consider. His backups have eight career starts and the starter none.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.