The Chicago Bears have begun the process of whittling down their roster from 90 players to 53 before the Tuesday deadline this week. Normally teams start with lesser-known names, getting the clutter out of the way. Not GM Ryan Poles. He came out of the gates with one of the biggest on the roster, and sent a big-time message along the way. P.J. Walker, the veteran Chicago signed in March to become the backup quarterback to Justin Fields, was released. It was an official statement by the team that undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent had indeed won the backup job.
It is hard not to have respect for what Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have done. They stated from the outset that competition mattered with this team. How much money you make or where you were drafted doesn't mean anything. If come onto this roster and perform well enough, there will be a spot for you. Bagent had a terrific showing in the preseason, putting together multiple scoring drives. Walker, by contrast, was largely ineffective until the final drive against Buffalo. By then, it was far too late.
The Chicago Bears have sent a great message.
By giving Bagent what he's earned, it is a signal to other young players that they will be given a legitimate opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Chicago. Many teams say they do but never actually follow through on that. This should help Poles and Eberflus with recruiting talented undrafted free agents in the future. The Seattle Seahawks are a great example of this. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have long held a similar reputation, and it has paid off several times in the past.
There is no telling how far Bagent will go. The only thing the Chicago Bears know for certain is he showed enough to justify making him the #2 quarterback behind Fields. He was smart, accurate, poised, and made good decisions every time he stepped on the field. It's an unfortunate turn of events for Walker. He's been a resilient player for several years, but the fact is he didn't perform when needed. That is the cold reality of the NFL sometimes.
