In case it hasn't come across over the past month through the avalanche of articles, tweets and other social media posts: the Chicago Bears need a new quarterback. All signs point to the team making a change at that critical position in 2017. This would mark the first major transition in eight years since they traded for Jay Cutler.
Of course the $100 million question is who do they get to steer this ship out of murky depths of the NFL cellar? Early signs point to the draft as the team is reportedly "looking hard" at the top prospects in the upcoming class. Then there is an unusually rich trade market that includes names like Jimmy Garoppolo and Tony Romo.
On the other hand, head coach John Fox has had his greatest successes at quarterback with veteran free agents. One name that continues to hover on the radar of several teams is Mike Glennon. Is there reason to think this former third round pick is a serious target for the team this March?
Based on available information, don't rule it out.
He's young with starting experience
The Bears are in a serious pickle regarding the quarterback situation. Head coach John Fox is going to start 2017 on the hot seat. He just oversaw the worst record a Chicago football team has ever had in a 16-game season at 3-13. It was a three-game regression from his 6-10 campaign the year before. He has to improve in the win column or he's liable to be fired. That is beyond difficult to do with a rookie quarterback. Glennon would represent a compromise. He's still fairly young at 27-years old but he has something a rookie doesn't: NFL starting experience. In total he has been in the league for four seasons and started 18 games in that span. That's many times more than Jimmy Garoppolo who is only two years younger. Throw in the fact he'll probably come cheaper than other options on the market and it at least gives the Bears flexibility in the draft.Three of his five wins were 4th quarter comebacks
The mark of quarterbacks who can handle the NFL level are the ones who can perform when the water is hottest. In other words they deal some of their best stuff for late when it's needed most. Glennon only went 5-13 as a starter for the Buccaneers. However, three of those five victories involved him leading a comeback in the fourth quarter. None was more dramatic than the stunner he pulled off against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Week-4-game-winning-drive-NFL-Videos.mp4"][/video] It's not just the final quarter either. Experts often say those who can finish each half strong in the NFL tend to do well. Glennon is also quite good at finishing the second quarter too. Between the second and fourth quarters, he has thrown for 1, 400 yards, 20 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. His quarterback rating is a healthy 92.1. His efficiency in terms of game situation? It's at its highest when he's trailing with under four minutes left.Plays his best against the best
Want to know why Jay Cutler was never a big success in Chicago? He could never raise his game up to meet the challenge of other great quarterbacks in the league. He was 2-11 against Aaron Rodgers, 0-3 against Tom Brady, 1-3 against Drew Brees, and 1-2 against Eli Manning. The mark of a good quarterback is how well can he meet the challenge of his peers. Interestingly, Glennon showed himself to be that type of guy. It seemed like every time he went up against a Pro Bowler, he'd bring his best. Here are four of his highest-rated starts and who they came against.- 138.4 rating vs. Detroit (Matthew Stafford)
- 137.5 rating vs. Atlanta (Matt Ryan)
- 123.4 rating vs. Seattle (Russell Wilson)
- 91.8 rating vs. New Orleans (Drew Brees)
The Buccaneers waved off countless trade chances
It was an unusual thing down in Tampa Bay. By 2014 it was clear that new head coach Lovie Smith wasn't interested in using Mike Glennon as a starter. Holding the #1 pick in the subsequent 2015 NFL draft, everybody knew they'd go for a quarterback. That meant Glennon, who was 25 would be a prime candidate for trade. Yet the Buccaneers refused to pull the trigger. This despite constant rumors that teams were interested in a deal. Later GM Jason Licht discussed the trade talk, and one quote revealed that he still thought highly of Glennon. So highly in fact that he was willing to keep him as a top backup even at the cost of missing out on potential draft picks in return."At some point we're going to make a decision whether or not we're going to keep him. He's a super asset for us now. And when I say keep him, keep him now -- try to keep him long-term, extend him for a couple years. Having a backup quarterback that we think has starting ability is a huge asset for us."What makes this more interesting is the fact that Smith was fired after just two seasons in Tampa Bay. This would indicate he and Licht weren't on the same page. Could one of the issues have been Smith's handling of Glennon? Looking back it's fair to wonder.
Ryan Pace knows what he can do
This is the last crucial part to not forget. The Chicago Bears Mike Glennon connection is strongest with GM Ryan Pace. Remember that Glennon was drafted in 2013. That was the same year Pace was promoted by the New Orleans Saints to director of player personnel. For those who don't know, here is a brief overview of what that job entails courtesy of Chron.com."Player evaluation, sometimes called scouting, is a central part of a director of player personnel's job. He must pull together all the information on a player, including input from team scouts and coaches, recruiting services and other sources, to present to the general manager and head coach. Some DPPs have full decision-making authority regarding recruitment, drafting or hiring of players; others operate in a more advisory capacity."In other words Pace had a central role in the Saints' draft operations during that season. He would've done extensive work on Glennon and the other quarterbacks. Then there is the fact Tampa Bay and New Orleans are division rivals. Glennon started two games against the Saints. This means Pace watched him up close and personal. He knows what the quarterback can and can't do. By result of that, he would know exactly how to form an effective offense around him.
