Forgotten Quarterback Could Be The Secret To Fixing The Chicago Bears

The answer to the critical quarterback problem in Chicago could be much simpler than most fans realize, and it all starts with Brian Hoyer.  The Chicago Bears have four quarterbacks set to hit the free agent market... four. In addition to that, most expect Jay Cutler to be cut or traded before the 2017 season begins. That leaves a huge hole for Ryan Pace and his staff to fill this off-season. There are several different routes to fixing this problem and most involve a high level of risk. Putting all your hope into a rookie quarterback could be a recipe for disaster, especially with the weak class this year, and trading the farm for an unproven veteran in Jimmy Garoppolo or an off-injured Tony Romo might set the franchise back even further. So, inevitably, the question becomes 'what should Pace do?' Let's think about this for a moment. An interesting stat worth considering is the following: https://twitter.com/SM_CBur/status/821697911486607360 As my tweet indicates, the Dak Prescotts and Ben Roethlisbergers of the world are rare (rookie QBs that light the NFL on fire), most veterans at the position took a decent amount of time to develop. If the mediocre play of rookies Carson Wentz and Jared Goff this season wasn't enough proof of that, take Aaron Rodgers as another example. In his first two seasons Rodgers put up QB ratings of 39.6 and 48.2. The Chicago Bears general manager is well aware of this...that's why he sees the value in taking multiple swings when trying to hit a home run at the quarterback position.

"I think it's a good idea to add a quarterback every year." Pace said.

The part of Pace's statement that should be pointed out, because it isn't included in the quote, is it must be done in a cost effective way. There's a reason the Bears are expected to be ranked in the top 10, maybe top 5, for cap space in 2017 and it's because Pace is a wise spender. Therefore, adding a quarterback every year is great but one wrong contract could easily derail this thought process. For example, if the Bears traded a second and third-round pick for Garoppolo then turned around and signed him to a $100 million contract in 2018, Pace's options for adding quality QBs every year would become quite limited. When trying to minimize risk and come up with a solution that will give Bears fans confidence moving forward, there seems to be one clear answer. Here's a solution that could become incredibly realistic as the draft process plays out.

Step #1: Re-Sign Brian Hoyer

Hoyer signed a one year, $2, 000, 000 contract with the Bears, including a $500, 000 signing bonus. That essentially means Pace could get him again for pretty cheap. The Bears are expected to save $12.5 million in salary and $2.5 million in bonuses if they release Cutler but they do take a $2 million cap hit for the cut. The departure of Cutler leaves a lot of money to re-sign Hoyer who threw for six touchdowns and zero interceptions before fracturing his non-throwing arm last season.

“My comfort level here is great. I had a lot of fun when I got to play. Obviously, the results didn’t always show what we wanted. I really like what they’re building here and hopefully I can be a part of that.” Hoyer said.

With over 31 NFL starts Hoyer is a safe option to play an incredibly important role of mentoring the rookie that will be acquired in step #2.

Step #2: Draft A Quarterback, High

Pace and his staff are the ones paid to determine if Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes are worthy of their selection, and where those players are taken is their call entirely. However, the severity of the current quarterback situation in Chicago should call for one to be drafted higher than the third round, something Pace hasn't done since coming to Chicago. This future-quarterback would be paid a rookie contract and be mentored by Hoyer who played three years behind Tom Brady and remains a backup in the league largely due to his leadership skills. He's also already spoke openly about mentoring a young quarterback.

“Look, I’m a good teammate. I’ve been around. I have a lot to offer in that regard.” Hoyer said.

Everyone knows Cutler isn't the answer when it comes to mentoring a new signal caller, few people are aware that Hoyer is the perfect solution for that. He was originally signed in Cleveland for the same purpose when they drafted Johnny Manziel, as we all know though Jesus himself couldn't have saved that kid.

Step #3: Build An Offense To Make QB Successful

If the Bears are going to win games, they need to do it in one of two ways. They need to commit to running the ball more and play solid defense, ala Broncos. Or they need to continue to add play-makers on the offensive side of the ball to balance out the team. Jordan Howard and the interior positions on the offensive line seem to be taken care of, but the receiving core along with the offensive tackles need a lot of work. How can you expect a new quarterback to be successful if they have second-string tackles protecting them and unproven first-round picks to throw to? This is only one of the reasons why the Alshon Jeffery decision becomes vital. The release of Cutler will save the Bears a lot of money. Re-signing Hoyer and drafting his backup would be a cheap solution to the quarterback problem in 2017. Therefore, the remaining money saved should be used to fill the rest of the holes on the team.

Not A Sexy Solution

A lot of fans would roll their eyes if they found out Pace expected Hoyer to be the starter for Week 1 next season, but I wouldn't.  Taking a quarterback with a decently high draft pick will put incredible pressure on him to come in and "fix the franchise, " and that could be disastrous. Remember what happened to David Carr? Even if the Bears were to select a player like Trubisky with the third overall pick, they are going to need time to develop him. The weak quarterback grades this year and Goff's 63.6 rookie QB rating are enough proof that "fixing" the quarterback takes time if you are going to minimize risk along the way. The developmental reality of the position is what makes Hoyer so valuable. His experience, along with his leadership skills, would play a vital role in the growth of a new young quarterback. Obviously for all this to happen, the Bears will need to re-sign him first. The main reason that hasn't happened yet is likely because Pace is still reviewing his options for a possible free agent signing or trade for another veteran. If those options prove to be too expensive, Hoyer will ink a deal to come back to Chicago and could become a lynch-pin in the development of the Bears' future quarterback. His great relationship with offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains only furthers the chance of all this happening. That is what makes Hoyer's value much higher, and more important, than most people realize.