Chicago Bears Combine QB Meetings Have One Glaring Name Missing

The scouting combine is a treasure trove of information for the Chicago Bears this year. Not just because it's their biggest chance to see top draft prospect up close, but also because they can meet other teams to discuss business. Not to mention gauge where they might be in terms of thinking about this player or that. One particular aspect that could prove quite interesting is the player interviews. Each team is allowed to request a certain number of players for one-on-one meetings. This gives them a brief opportunity to gauge the mental makeup and attitude of the player based on how he carries himself and answers questions. It's also often a great way to gauge which players the team might be eyeing for the draft. Most would say the names that appear on a list are the most interesting. However, in regards to a recent revelation for the Bears, it might be a name who didn't. According to Walter Football and other sources, the Bears are confirmed to have met with six prospects at the scouting combine thus far. They are scheduled for a meeting with Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, which would make seven. It's likely there will be more before the final day of drills on Monday. However, there is something interesting about the list. It shows that the Bears met with no fewer than four quarterbacks. Here they are listed below.

• Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (COM)
• DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame (COM)
• Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (COM)
• Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (COM)

What's interesting about this list aren't the names that are on it. Kizer, Mahomes and Trubisky are all considered first round prospects and options for Chicago at the #3 pick. Kaaya meanwhile is somebody they could be targeting in the middle rounds. The team has scouted him heavily all year. No the interesting part is who isn't on the list. Where is Deshaun Watson? The reigning national champion who led Clemson in a historic comeback over mighty Alabama? It's incredible to think that the Bears haven't met with him yet. Especially when one considers Pace stating that starting experience and program success were such huge keys for him when drafting a quarterback. None can come close to Watson in both categories in this class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiur8Hc36vE There is a chance this could be a premature overreaction. It's possible the Bears just haven't gotten their turn yet. Watson indicated that several teams wanted to meet him during his press conference at the combine. Still, it's hard to imagine one of the teams in the top five picks would be relegated to the back of the line for meetings. So one must ask the inconceivable question. Are the Bears not interested in drafting Watson? If so, why? Given his accomplishments one would think they'd at least like to meet the man for 15 minutes. Accounting for everything that is known about the current situation, there is a theory that might make sense. As was written by Sports Mockery and other media outlets, it appears the Bears plan to sign 27-year old veteran quarterback Mike Glennon in free agency. Odds are they should be successful in that mission. Most fear this is just the team trying to take the cheap, easy way out of having to spend a high draft choice at the position. However, there is another method that was also referenced they could be doing. That being the double down approach. Put simply the Bears sign Glennon and then use a high pick on a rookie then have them compete for the starting job. This gives the team maximum opportunities to find their starter of the future. There could be a small alteration to that plan. They may want to use Glennon as a buffer to buy time while they develop a rookie they deem not ready to start. This is where the absence of Watson starts to make at least a little sense. Of the top quarterbacks in this draft class, he is the one most would agree is closest to starting immediately. This due to his considerable game experience and advanced fundamentals. The team who drafts him likely would end up playing him right away. That is not the case for any of the other quarterbacks. Particularly the ones the Bears have met with. There is also another thing that separates them. Those four have greater physical upside than Watson does.

Kizer

Mike Mayock:  “I think he has the most upside, the highest ceiling. But he is 12-11 as a starter at Notre Dame. He played a lot of bad football with the game on the line in the fourth quarter this year. That is not acceptable. But he is 6-5, 235. He has that kind of prototypical franchise quarterback look, a Phillip Rivers type … if he gets everything right.”

Mahomes

Trubisky

Lance Zierlein (NFL.com):  "Trubisky will have to become much more pocket aware and do a better job of recognizing and attacking blitzes to back NFL defensive coordinators off. He hasn't put all the pieces together yet, but the puzzle is all right in front. Trubisky projects as a good starting quarterback with a high floor and the potential to be great."

Kaaya

Up to this point the argument that Watson has had in regards to being the best quarterback in the draft have had nothing to do with his actual physical talent. He gets extra points for his experience, success and leadership qualities. The problem with those arguments is they often aren't enough at the pro level. Since 1970 just four of the quarterbacks who won a national championship went on to have an above average NFL career. When kept to a pure upside argument, Watson loses ground. He's athletic for sure but not big and his arm can be called solid. Far from very good or great. He is what they would call a "high floor" prospect. Likely to at least be a dependable starter in the NFL but just how much better can he become? It doesn't look like there is much left to unlock in terms of potential. Meanwhile it appears that guys like Mahomes, Kizer and Trubisky haven't even scratched the surface of their capabilities. What they've lacked is proper development. Experts believe they can reach immense heights, but will require time and patience. Time that could be afforded perhaps by signing a veteran QB in free agency who can start for a year or two? It's not exactly an insane idea. Sign Glennon to man the offense and draft somebody like Mahomes or Kizer to hone within the structure of a pro scheme. Give them a chance to absorb advanced fundamentals and play sheets before throwing them into the fire. It worked with Aaron Rodgers. It worked with Philip Rivers and it worked with Dan Marino. Can Watson be at the level of those guys? In all honesty no. Those others have shown flashes of such capability. If the Bears really chose not to meet with Watson, it may have tipped their hand for what their real plan at the quarterback position might be this year.