Rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent will make his first NFL start of his career on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders as he will fill in for Justin Fields, who is out with a thumb injury. Bagent's journey from a Division II starter to an undrafted rookie free agent was made special by his performance during the preseason, as he consistently led Chicago's offense on scoring drives and demonstrated a surprising ability to execute Luke Getsy's offensive scheme. With his first start coming against the Raiders, the former Shephard quarterback's best chance at success will come in an area where Fields has struggled this season, which is finding the open target.
Bagent and Fields Are Different In How They Execute The Offense
The reason why Bagent made the Bears' regular season roster despite being an undrafted free agent was because of his success in the Bears' three preseason games. Against the Titans, Colts, and Bills, the rookie quarterback led the offense on touchdown drives against each opponent. Even more impressive was that Bagent didn't do with large chunk passing plays, as most of his throws were quick-read connections on short or intermediate routes. Bagent was constantly able to find an open receiver who could run after the catch, and when a passing target wasn't available, he was able to run the ball himself.
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There is a stark contrast between Fields and Bagent as passers as the veteran makes plays with his elite athleticism, with the rookie moving the ball due to a thorough understanding of where the open target is and a high level of accuracy. Despite being one of the best improvisers and big-time play-makers in the league, Chicago's third-year quarterback has been inconsistent when locating and throwing to the open receiver in the offense, leading to a scoring inconsistency. Bagent, despite not having a strong arm, appears able to move the ball by knowing who to target in the offense and when to do so.
Fields' play over the past four games has been a prime example of his erratic play as a quarterback, as he has two of the best games of his career with two games that were terrible. Against the Kanas City Chiefs in Week 3 and the Minnesota Vikings last week, the Bears' third-year quarterback failed to pass for over 100 in either contest, despite playing more than a half in either game. In back-to-back games against the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, Fields passed for over 600 yards and eight touchdowns in the two contests.
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The vast difference in the two sets of games has been Fields' inability to read opposing defenses and an inability to consistently throw with anticipation, leading to missed opportunities with wide-open targets. Against the Vikings, Chicago's opening-day quarterback failed to account for a clear and unblocked pass-rusher on defense, which led to a sack on the first offensive play of the game.
When Bagent came into the game midway through the third quarter, he didn't appear to be phased by the moment and was able to make the right reads along with identifying the proper blocking assignments. Of the rookie's 14 pass attempts against Minnesota, only two of his throws were questionable targets. Even on Bagent's game-ending interception, he targeted the correct receiver as DJ Moore had beat his defender but severely underthrew the pass.
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Bagent's Best Chance At Being Productive Is To Keep Things Simple
Against the Raiders on Sunday, Bagent's best path to being successful is to continue to do what has made him stand out as an undrafted free agent, which is to keep it simple. The rookie quarterback will need to continue to take what the opposing defense provides him and connect with whoever is open on offense, regardless of how deep they are. If Bagent tries to be a playmaker like Fields, he more than likely will struggle and throw multiple interceptions as he does not have the elite arm strength to make special passes, especially downfield.
Although Bagent attempted two throws 30 yards or longer against the Vikings, neither was a completion, as one drew a pass interference penalty and the other was intercepted. Both passes had a lot of air underneath them, and neither balls were tight spirals. Bagent's best throw was the 25-yard connection to Moore over the middle. If the rookie can properly connect on a mix of short, intermediate, and deep attempts, he can put the Raiders' defense in a difficult spot.
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Over the next few games, Bagent has a chance to show why the Bears took a chance on him to have him on the regular season roster and demonstrate that he can be a quarterback at the NFL level. The rookie doesn't need to be Fields but needs to be himself and execute the offense in his specific way. Bagent will have at least two games to prove to Chicago and NFL teams that he can be a backup or even a starter in the league.
