The Chicago Bears' offseason continues as they hosted free-agent quarterback Trevor Siemian for a visit on Tuesday. Siemian's meeting with Chicago sparked rumors that the team's backup quarterback Nick Foles could be traded if a free agent backup quarterback is signed. Despite Foles' inconsistencies at the position during his time with the Bears, his continued presence would benefit starting quarterback Justin Fields heading into his second season.

Foles' Experience Is Vital For Fields In A New Offensive System

Although the main focus on offense is Fields' second season in 2022 and how much he can grow as a quarterback, new general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus need to surround their starting quarterback with as many resources as possible. An added resource includes having a veteran quarterback backing up the second-year starter who is learning a new offensive system under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Although most of Foles' career has been spent the same offensive scheme, despite playing for six different teams, he has over a decade's worth of experience as a starting quarterback.

Foles' experience is especially significant in the quarterbacks' room when analyzing game film and breaking down opposing defenses. For Fields, heading into the second season of his career and having to learn a completely different offensive playbook from last season's is a daunting task, but he could benefit from having seasoned veteran in the room to help him break down film. Furthermore, it is helpful to have Foles for a second straight season with the Bears' young quarterback because Foles could serve as a trusting mentor in a crucial sophomore season. It is also makes sense to keep Foles for one more season as he can help Getsy determine what could and could not work for Fields from a play-design standpoint. The former Super Bowl MVP quarterback proved during his first two seasons with the Bears that he isn't afraid about being vocal about play-calling that might not work. In both 2020 and 2021, Foles, during games, was caught on camera being critical of head coach Matt Nagy's play-calling. Having a veteran quarterback that isn't fearful of pointing out flaws in a game-plan could be extremely helpful for a first-time offensive coordinator working with Fields.

Foles Will Be A More Reliable Backup Than Siemian

Despite Foles' struggle as the Bears' starter in 2020 when he posted a 2-5 record over seven starts, he would still be a better option as the second-string quarterback than Siemian. The former Broncos starting quarterback has only started five games over the past four seasons. Foles has started at least one game in each of his ten seasons in the NFL. Last season, Foles proved how reliable he is as a backup quarterback as he was forced to start the Bears' Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks as both Fields and Andy Dalton were sidelined with injuries. Leading up to the game, he had served as Chicago's third-string quarterback and not played a single snap all season. In inclement weather conditions, Foles led the Bears to a come from behind victory, throwing a game-winning touchdown to tight end Jimmy Graham in the final minute of the game.

Having experience at the backup quarterback position matter. Fields has yet to prove that he can stay healthy for an entire season as he missed multiple games with different injuries last season. If Chicago's young quarterback misses two to three weeks with an injury, the Bears would be a more competitive team with Foles starting than Siemian. Although Chicago will likely be in a rebuilding position for the 2022 season, having a quarterback that gives a team a chance to win is still significant compared to someone that fills the backup role. Although trading Foles would potentially bring back a future draft selection, the draft selection the Bears could receive in return may not outweigh the value of having the veteran presence on the roster. Siemian has been in the league since 2015, but he has started only half the amount of games that Chicago's current backup has. If Poles were to receive a late-round draft selection in this year's or next year's draft, it may not be worth it if Siemian doesn't play well if forced to start or provide the same level of valuable guidance to Fields during game-prep situations.

Chicago meeting with Siemian will be an important thing to keep an eye on over the next few weeks and see if a signing would lead to a trade of Foles. Although little is expected of the Bears in 2022, the team still needs to focus on the development of Fields, which is helped with a proven veteran quarterback serving as a backup for the team. Foles is the best option as a backup quarterback for the Bears heading into next season, given the circumstances surrounding Fields.