Bears Having Bagent Back Up Fields To Begin Regular Season Could Be Significantly Risky
On Tuesday, the Chicago Bears were busy making cuts to finalize their 53-man roster ahead of the 2023 regular season, beginning Sunday, September 10th, against the Green Bay Packers. One of the more shocking moves was Chicago releasing backup quarterback Nathan Peterman, leaving the Bears’ offense with only two players at the quarterback position, which are starter Justin Fields and undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent. Although Bagent has earned his spot on the roster, and Peterman will get signed to the practice squad, it is an immensely risky decision to have a rookie with no experience be just one snap away from having to take the field.
Peterman Deserved To Be The Backup Bridge Until Bagent Was Fully Ready
Bagent was the Bears’ best offensive player throughout the preseason, as he scored two rushing touchdowns in the three preseason games and consistently led the offense down the field in each preseason game. He outperformed Peterman and another seasoned quarterback, P.J. Walker, as both veteran quarterbacks were cut in favor of the undrafted rookie from Shepherd. Although Bagent appears ready to be a serviceable backup quarterback in the NFL, placing him in a position to start or come in if Fields is injured could be detrimental to the rookie’s development.
Chicago doesn’t need to put Bagent in a potentially overwhelming position to take the field immediately if Fields is injured because they already have an experienced veteran quarterback in Peterman. The former Bills signal-caller has been in the league for over five seasons and has appeared in at least one game in four of those five years. In total, Peterman has played in 13 games and has become more efficient with every appearance.
There is also more value to Peterman’s experience as he served as Chicago’s backup quarterback last season, first as the third-string quarterback and then as the second-stringer behind Fields after Trevor Siemian following the game against the New York Jets. Chicago’s backup would start the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings and perform adequately despite splitting snaps with fellow quarterback Tim Boyle. Peterman completed 11 of 19 passes for 114 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cole Kmet.
During Chicago’s three preseason games this month, Peterman did not throw an interception and had a 34-yard touchdown pass against the Indianapolis Colts. Walker, the other veteran quarterback, struggled significantly to execute the offense when in at quarterback this preseason. The former Bills’ quarterback at least maintained a respectable level of serviceability during his time on the field. Peterman’s knowledge of Luke Getsy’s offensive systems also matters, given that Fields will be backed up by a rookie with no working knowledge of the current offensive scheme.
Bears Quarterback History Likely Means Bagent Will Be Pressed Into Action Sooner Rather Than Later
A significant concern regarding Chicago’s potential decision to have Bagent serve as the backup behind Fields is the Bears’ notorious issues at the quarterback position, including injuries. No Chicago quarterback has started every game of a season since Jay Cutler did it back in 2009. Since 2000, the Bears have started at least two or three quarterbacks each season.
Fields’ injury history is also a factor in trusting an inexperienced rookie to back him up, as the Bears’ third-year starter has missed multiple games in each of his first two seasons in the league. Last year, Chicago’s starting quarterback was bothered by numerous injuries and missed the team’s Week 12 game against the New York Jets with a hurt AC joint. Additionally, Fields had issues with stamina as he expressed concern over fatigue involving his legs due to his frequent scrambling.
Chicago has had a history of having rookie quarterbacks play and start, but never will they have had a situation like Bagent’s. Although the former Shepherd quarterback excelled and set records while in college, it came against Division II-level talent. The closest instances the Bears have had in which rookie quarterbacks were forced into playing were in 2004 and 2005, when fourth-rounder draft selections Craig Krenzel and Kyle Orton started in their rookie seasons. Although Krenzel and Orton played for successful football programs at Ohio State and Purdue, both struggled when playing in their rookie seasons at the NFL level.
Bagent deserves to be on the Bears’ roster and should be the primary backup to Fields, but not heading into Week 1 due to his current lack of experience. An undrafted quarterback playing against second and third-string defenses in exhibition games is different than competing against seasoned starters in meaningful NFL games. Peterman or another veteran quarterback should be in place behind Fields for Chicago’s first game of the 2023 season against Green Bay, or the team could be in a dire situation at the quarterback position if an injury occurs.