Tyson Bagent is an undrafted rookie. That comes with the obvious stigma of being a nobody in the minds of the NFL. However, there was one advantage to not being drafted. It allowed the Shepherd quarterback to pick his team. In most circumstances, a player would target the team that offers the most money or maybe has a coaching staff known for developing quarterbacks. One would think Bagent had options after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl a few months prior. As it turns out, he did.
According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the rookie had several teams interested in him. He had plenty of offers on the table, including some that were more profitable than what he got for the Chicago Bears. So there must have been some other reason he chose to sign with them. It's possible he sensed a greater opportunity to see the field.
"One more interesting nugget about Bagent? He fielded multiple offers as an undrafted free agent. The Bears got him on a three-year contract with a $25,000 signing bonus. Bagent had offers worth more money elsewhere, a source said. He picked the Bears because it looked like the best opportunity for him to stick."
It's hard to imagine Bagent thought he saw a path to play for the Bears this season, but it certainly feels like he joined them for that exact possibility. He cleared the first hurdle by winning a roster spot with a strong preseason showing. Now, he might be two or three more bad Justin Fields games from actually starting.
Tyson Bagent is witnessing a perfect storm unfold.
The last undrafted rookie quarterback to start games during a season was David Blough in 2019. That came after injuries to Matthew Stafford and Jeff Driskel. This situation unfolding in Chicago is entirely different. There is a real possibility Fields could get benched in the next few weeks. He's thrown more interceptions than touchdowns through three games and managed to crack 20 points only once. He has not looked good, and there are rumors that head coach Matt Eberflus might consider a change if Fields can't adjust.
Will they go to Nathan Peterman? That feels like a pointless move. Everybody knows what Peterman is at this point. He won't give them any answers. Playing Tyson Bagent is the only thing that makes sense. If he plays poorly, oh well. He's an undrafted rookie, and that is what they typically do. However, if he plays well, the Bears may realize they have something to work with at quarterback. What they saw in the preseason wasn't a mirage. It is insane to think that Bagent, in some small way, might've seen this possibility coming.
