This is the first time in almost a decade that the Chicago Bears quarterback position is in a violent state of flux. All three players who occupied that part of the depth chart in 2016 are gone. Jay Cutler was released. Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley became free agents. GM Ryan Pace clearly wanted a clean break across the board to start fresh and he got it.
Of course now comes the hard part. Decided what to do next. It's clear the team has formulated the early stages of a plan. Connor Shaw was re-signed. The belief is he'll provide quality depth and competition for the backup jobs. Then there is Mike Glennon. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup whom the team has decided will be their first attempt at finding a new start in 2017.
What many are dying to know at this point is what will the team do in the draft? Do they still draft a quarterback early or do they wait? There are more than a few who think waiting is the better strategy. It's possible to find that future starter the team can develop for the future in days two and three. Do the numbers support that though?
It's honestly difficult to understand where this confidence at drafting quarterbacks in later rounds came from. Sure the Bears and fans have watched other teams pull it off recently with hits like Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson and of course Tom Brady. Maybe throw Kirk Cousins in there too. Yet the evidence, at least from the perspective of Chicago, offers minimal grounds for this strategy.
Since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, the Bears have drafted a total of 26 quarterbacks in the second round or later. They are spread out as follows:
- 2nd round: 2
- 3rd round: 1
- 4th round: 2
- 5th round: 2
- 6th round: 6
- 7th round: 6
- Defunct rounds: 7







