Don't be distracted by team fit talk and all that stuff. While it's important, the ultimate deciding factors for what the Chicago Bears do at quarterback in free agency is money. No players cost more on average in the game of football than quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes is projected to be the first $40 million player at the position once his own contract situation gets settled. This is just the nature of things. If you want to get a good QB, odds are you'll have to pay up for him.
This 2020 class of veterans is probably the best and deepest the NFL has seen in its history. Just in terms of talent and proven success. The Bears insist they're still committed to making it work with Mitch Trubisky. Yet the reality of the situation is unavoidable. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are on the hot seat. If they fail to make the playoffs again despite having an elite defense, their incompetence will be impossible to mask.
They need a quarterback. If not a great one, then at least a consistent one. Can they find that without breaking the bank? Here is what the projections are for the top names via Spotrac.
Chicago Bears free agent QB targets are about risk-reward
Tom Brady - $33.8 million per year
Being the winningest quarterback in modern NFL history has its perks. Brady is 42-years old and usually one's price tag drops around that time. Yet because he's been so consistently great for so long, belief is several teams would be willing to look past that and give the man his biggest payday ever. Despite clear signs he's not quite the player he was five years ago, Brady is still ridiculously experienced, a great leader, and can make accurate throws at most levels with consistency.
Jameis Winston - $26.7 million per year
Opinions are all over the map on Winston. Many struggle to see the former #1 overall pick getting a look as a starter in 2020. Such is reality of throwing 30 interceptions in a season. That said, he did also throw for 5,100 yards and 33 touchdowns. Is it so crazy to think there might be one coach out there who feels he can at least curb Winston's gunslinger tendencies just enough to make him effective? He's unquestionably a gamble. Still, if they take him at this price and succeed in that mission then they just got a steal.
Ryan Tannehill - $26.6 million per year
Timing is everything. Tannehill was a backup to start 2019, looking at a possible longterm future in that role. Then he elevated to the Titans starting job, caught fire in the second half of the season and helped the team reach the AFC championship. This earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors and legitimate interest from teams on the free agent market. Great story. Tannehill features a good arm, plenty of starting experience, and underrated mobility. Among this QB group, he might be considered one of the "safer" options.
Philip Rivers - $24.3 million per year
His rather disappointing 2019 season and being 38-years old was enough to finally push Rivers out of Los Angeles. It also explains while his price tag is much lower than Brady's. People are confident his skill level is declining. That said, Rivers still threw for over 4,000 yards. This despite poor blocking from the offensive line and no running game to speak of. He showed in 2018 that if givens some balance on offense (32 TDs), he could still be a dangerous passer. If a team feels they can give him that, then this price tag could be a bargain.
Teddy Bridgewater - $21.5 million per year
One has to respect Bridgewater. He almost lost his career after a horrific knee injury in 2016. It took two years to battle back from it. He showcased strong play as a backup in New York, got traded to the Saints and rather than join the Dolphins as a free agent in 2019, chose to stay in New Orleans on a one-year deal. He ends up starting five games, wins them all and now is about to get a healthy new deal. That said, he won't be bringing the loaded Saints offense with him, so there is a definite risk. This projection is actually lower than what Nick Foles got from Jacksonville last year.
Case Keenum and Marcus Mariota - $3-7 million per year
Nobody believes that either Keenum or Mariota will garner markets that hand them starting jobs. This means it will come down to how many teams see them as desirable backups who perhaps could compete for top jobs. Bridgewater was the highest-paid backup last season at $7.2 million. So if the interest is high enough, either of those quarterbacks could make something similar. If the Bears wanted to play the cheap route, then these are the two names to watch.
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