The Chicago Bears could be in the market for a quarterback in 2020. It certainly seems to be drifting that way given how Mitch Trubisky continues to play. There are still nine games left and he has time to prevent that from happening. Then again any faith that he'll actually do it is fleeting at best. Most believe the team will seek out competition if not an outright replacement next spring. It's just a matter of figuring out who it will be.
There will be a number of interesting names, especially on the veteran free agent market. Marcus Mariota, Eli Manning, and Teddy Bridgewater are all expected to be available. Some are wondering if Nick Foles might also be in play via trade given the recent ascent of Gardner Minshew. One name though that some believe is right up the Bears' alley is Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
He was recently benched in favor of rookie Ryan Finley and word is out that he's seeking a trade. With one year left on his contract at just $17.7 million, a team with salary cap limitations might view him as a prime option. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports believes the Bears fit that bill perfectly provided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't get there first.
"With Arians formerly retired and at a stage in his career where rebuilding with a rookie quarterback might not be ideal, several GMs identified Tampa as a strong landing spot for Dalton, with Winston struggling in the final year of his deal. Dalton, like Winston, has had issues with turnovers at times, but has also shown to be a highly functional and winning QB with some pieces around him.
The Titans and Bears could also be in the market for a 30-something proven veteran quarterback given the failures of their recent first-round picks."
Chicago Bears must consider a Dalton move carefully
From a purely logical standpoint, Dalton does make sense. He's a smart, tough veteran who has shown he can be productive in the NFL if given a decent offensive line with some reliable weapons. However, the Bears must weight that choice carefully. Do they believe they can win a Super Bowl with somebody like him under center? Most would say no. His failures in the playoffs for Cincinnati are well-documented and it doesn't feel like Chicago would be able to do anything different in that regard.
Still, if they're looking for an affordable option who won't break the bank and might buy them time until they can take another crack in the draft? Teams could do a lot worse than Dalton. It will come down to whether the Bears want to give up draft compensation for him.
