The rampant speculation is becoming too much for many fans. It's clear enough the Chicago Bears know their agenda for the 2017 offseason. Simple and straightforward are the words that apply best. It begins and ends with finding a quarterback that can help the team win now and hopefully in the future. Such things are incredibly complex and complicated.
Will it be Tony Romo? The 36-year old veteran has ties to Eastern Illinois from back in college and the Bears will have money to spend. He's got a productive history on his side. Will it be Jimmy Garoppolo? Indeed the Patriots backup to Tom Brady is the media darling of the moment, viewed as the best QB available on the entire market. Or will it be a rookie? Chicago does own the #3 overall pick in the first round. that gives them a shot at landing one of the top talents at the position this year.
All viable and realistic options. That much is plain. Yet it's not every option that has been mentioned. In fact there is a rather big elephant in the room that many haven't really discussed in regards to Chicago. One that is more realistic than people realize.
A New Captain Kirk
It was surprising the mention didn't garner more buzz a few weeks ago. Probably most of it was due to the revelation that the Bears were interested in Garoppolo. That came from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Yet in the midst of talking about that, he also let another little nugget of intrigue slip through. One that went almost entirely under the radar."It would take a huge haul of picks to pry Cousins away, and new 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who along with his dad drafted Cousins in Washington, has a ravaged roster with needs at every position. Paying that kind of draft-pick price could be prohibitive. The Bears also have done significant work on Cousins, but with the Redskins going to franchise him and that process playing out perhaps throughout the offseason, the timing may not work out and this team can't afford to be left without a seat in these musical quarterback chairs."Kirk Cousins carries a certain stigma around the NFL these days. Most view him as a backup playing above his station in Washington. That's why the Redskins are hesitant to pay him top quarterback money in a long-term deal. This despite him leading the team to an 17-14-1 record and a division title in two years as a starter. He's thrown for 9,083 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions across that same span and made the Pro Bowl this past season. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Kirk-Cousins-Throws-for-449-Yards-3-TDs-Redskins-vs.-Cowboys-NFL-Week-12-Player-Highlights.mp4"][/video] It seems like the more people talk down about him, the better he plays. Nobody bothers to mention that Cousins posted his record with the 28th ranked defense in the NFL two-straight years and a collection of average running backs. Nobody is saying he's Tom Brady but the guy is productive, a leader and ultra-competitive. Best of all he's experienced.
Quick Fix
That is something head coach John Fox is no doubt pushing for. His quick turnarounds with previous teams like Carolina and Denver weren't sparked by developing young quarterbacks. They came after landing a quality veteran like Jake Delhomme or Peyton Manning. After going 9-23 in his first two years, Fox no longer has the luxury of time or patience from fans. They expect to see progress in 2017. The only way he can have any true hope of guaranteeing that is with a quality, experienced player under center. Kirk Cousins fits the bill more than anybody. At 28-years old he's entering his prime. After two years starting he's used to NFL speed but still has enough time left for GM Ryan Pace to build a proper team around him. Tiki Barber, the former All-Pro running back and current media personality, explained why Cousins is an attractive option. Even more so than former MVP Cam Newton.“Kirk Cousins is actually the more viable option, because Kirk Cousins will sit in the pocket and find his guy and read a defense and know pre-snap where he’s going to go with the ball, and if something breaks down, then he finds his checkdown back. Those two guys who they had in Washington were fantastic in giving him support in that role, so yeah, of course you take Kirk Cousins over Cam Newton, even though Cam Newton was the MVP. With Cam Newton, you get an MVP season one year and then the next year you get what the hell we saw in 2016. And what do you want? I’m not sure I want that roller-coaster. I’ve seen that roller-coaster — not with one guy, but with multiple guys over the course of my career. … With Cam Newton, you’re getting year-to-year volatility. With Kirk Cousins, you haven’t had that. It’s been pretty consistent.”So why would he even consider coming here? Simple. He was born here. Cousins is a native of Barrington, Illinois. A quaint town just 50 miles outside of Chicago. Even after moving to Holland, Michigan for high school he was within a three-hour drive of downtown. The guy is has the Midwest in his blood. He's never lost a game playing in the state of Illinois. He beat Northwestern twice in college and has topped the Bears twice at Soldier Field. If the Redskins believe they won't be able to hang onto him beyond 2017, and signs are growing that will be the case, why not try to make a play for him? In many ways Cousins represents the best of the Romo and Garoppolo worlds. He's an Illinois native who still has a bright future ahead of him. At the same time he's seasoned and has Pro Bowl success in his background.
