This is it. For the first time in eight season the Chicago Bears are on the precipice of making a franchise-altering change at the quarterback position. One can say they may have mishandled the Jay Cutler era. Fair enough. However, one can never say they didn't give the 33-year old an honest chance to prove he was one of the best in football. In the end it didn't work. Now the team is finally ready to accept that and move on.
The question is how? To who? No doubt it's one of the toughest in all of professional sports to answer. There is a fundamental divide everybody knows. There are teams that have quarterbacks and teams that don't. Those that have one are almost always competing in the playoffs and challenging for Super Bowls.
Chicago hasn't been in that position for decades. This new regime is trying to change that. In order to do so they have to get their guy. Somebody they feel is right not just in talent but in terms of fitting the culture they're trying to build. After consistent examination of the known facts, one name has begun to rise above the rest.
The scouting combine is about to begin. It's one of the most highly-anticipated NFL offseason events. It's also the first opportunity the media gets to talk with GMs and head coaches about the state of their teams and plans for the future. Of course Ryan Pace and John Fox weren't about to betray any details, but their comments still offered plenty to go with.
It seems the team hasn't given up on re-signing Alshon Jeffery, though they plan to let him test the market. Jay Cutler remains a fluid situation that won't be clear until doctors give him a clean bill of health from shoulder surgery. His fate of course is tied to the quarterback position. Local media were dying to know what the two might have in mind as they look for the start Bears starter.
Given the fact that most of the top trade options and free agents are out of reach, everything seems funneled towards Chicago getting their guy in the draft. If that's the case, then what Pace and Fox had to say regarding their ideal QB was revealing.
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If one were to apply those parameters to the top prospects in the 2017 class, an honest evaluation reveals just one name who fits the description. That being Clemson star Deshaun Watson. Most draft analysts have raved about his intelligence, poise, leadership and ultra-competitiveness. He's a true gamer who always finds a way to keep his team alive.
In fact here is a clip from what NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein had to say about him.
"Tremendous leader and winner. Good pocket posture with quiet upper body. Good pocket mobility and doesn't show much panic when pocket gets noisy. Sacked just 32 times over his last 1,181 drop-backs. Willing to stand in and deliver the ball against rib-wreckers on a clear path for him. Has history of clutch play in big games and big moments."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSYUXeKdR60 It's also interesting that Watson draws close comparisons to current Tennessee Titans stud Marcus Mariota. For those who don't remember, the Bears were rumored to have interest in trading up for him when he came out of Oregon in 2015. Now that Chicago is in much better position with the #3 overall pick, this could be the opportunity Pace has waited for. Never mind the fact that Watson succeeded where Mariota failed by winning a national championship. What continues to hold people back on him is the accuracy and decision-making questions. Watson threw 17 interceptions in 15 games last season. At times he can get a little careless with the ball and his placement is erratic on occasion. Valid concerns. However, there is something worth noting. Of the five games where he threw two or more interceptions, he still managed to put up an average of 36.4 points per game. On top of that? He was near perfect down the stretch, scoring 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions over the final five games. One of the duties of a good GM or good head coach is doing something that is difficult this time of year. Don't overthink a big decision. If it looks and feels like a player will help the Bears win football games, don't get caught up in the nitpicking. Take him. Assuming Pace and Fox remain true to their principles, Watson may very well be their guy.
