Intrigued By Sam Darnold? Here's What He'd Cost The Bears

The quarterback market is always volatile. There is just no predicting what it will do every year. This past season Tom Brady left New England and Philip Rivers left L.A. Now Matthew Stafford has been traded from Detroit and Deshaun Watson wants out of Houston. Dak Prescott is technically set to be a free agent. Even Derek Carr might be available in certain scenarios. It's crazy. One name that has some teams intrigued is Sam Darnold. Nobody knows for sure if the fourth-year quarterback is actually available. The New York Jets have sent mixed signals on it. Sometimes they've indicated a desire to keep him. Other times they've dodged questions about making a change. There is no question he's been a disappointment, but how much of that is him, and how much was being surrounded by an atrocious setup with no weapons, no protection, and questionable coaching?

That is why some teams are intrigued by him.

Darnold is still very talented. He's mobile, boasts a live arm, and is capable of throwing some truly impressive passes. He is also just 23-years old. There is still plenty of time for him to get his career sorted out. Would a team like the Chicago Bears be willing to take that risk? That may come down to two things. Whether the Jets are ready to move on and how much they'll demand in return. Adam Schefter has said from the beginning of the offseason that New York isn't hell-bent on relinquishing Darnold. The only way they do is if they feel they have a line on somebody better. Be it a veteran like Watson or one of the top rookies in the 2021 draft class. If that comes to pass, the NFL insider revealed to Haberman & Middlekauff what the price tag will end up being.

Bears need to be sure about Sam Darnold to do that

Chicago falls into that category of "late 1" where it might be something to consider. They hold the 20th pick in the draft. Not exactly a prime spot for nabbing a future starter at quarterback. This is why most agree they'd have to trade up to get somebody they want. Or package it to go after a veteran. They have to ask the question. Is Darnold for their 1st a better course of action than a 1st and multiple extra picks for somebody like Justin Fields or Trey Lance? No doubt Bears fans will have opinions on that. Sam Darnold is a gamble. His 2020 was forgettable, to say the least. Just nine touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 12 games. He has the look of somebody who must be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. Chicago has a coaching staff with lots of QB experts but also one that is low on time. It's clear Matt Nagy is in a win-or-else situation. Taking a flier on Darnold feels way too risky for him.

Then again, desperate men do desperate things.

The odds of landing any of their top targets this offseason aren't great. So the Bears have think logically. Darnold is likely a better short and long-term option than any of the QBs who will be available at #20. He's still on his rookie contract so he'll be cheap. This would allow them to use their limited resources to stack up the rest of the offense. It's not Plan A to be sure, but it's one that gives them some flexibility.