QB Dominoes Are Starting to Fall For the Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are monitoring the quarterback market closely. This is hardly news. What they and many others are waiting on is what happens with several of the bigger names scheduled to hit the open market. While many feel Tom Brady is the big domino that will start the cascade effect, it turns out that might be somebody unexpected.

According to Dianna Russini of ESPN, the Tennessee Titans have ramped up their efforts to secure quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a long-term extension. Their long-rumored interest in Brady seems to have been more media-driven than anything. Either that or the state of the new CBA where teams can't use two tags meant they had to move. Secure Tannehill quickly so they can franchise Derrick Henry.

Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston is also continuing to hear that the Patriots and Brady have made no progress of any kind on a possible extension, leading one to think he's leaving. With the Titans, his supposedly obvious landing spot off the table, other teams like the Raiders, Chargers, Buccaneers, and even 49ers suddenly become possibilities.

If all that wasn't enough, Mark Long of the Associated Press believes the Jaguars are preparing to move on from Nick Foles. Even going so far as to say they might end up cutting him.

Chicago Bears sit in a fluid and complicated situation

So much about all this comes down to money. The new CBA has set the salary cap at $198.2 million for the 2020 season. This is actually a bit lower than expected, which makes life harder for the Bears who were facing a tight cap to begin with. Following extensions for Danny Trevathan and Roy Robertson-Harris, they could be operating with under $15 million in space. Quarterbacks are expensive and that's not nearly enough to get anybody of significance.

This likely explains why multiple Bears insiders have suggested for the past month that Leonard Floyd and his $13.222 million cap hit could be gone.

If they do this, then they are absolutely still in the conversation for acquiring a notable quarterback. Derek Carr is still on the table, especially if the Raiders end up with Brady. The same can be said of Foles if Pace were to trade for him, likely securing a draft pick in the process. If they don't, then it's a dead giveaway they plan to comb the bargain market for options.