Getty INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - AUGUST 24: Caraun Reid #75 of the Indianapolis Colts attempts to sack Tyler Bray #9 of the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have added a third quarterback to their roster, and he’s a very familiar face. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the Bears have re-signed quarterback Tyler Bray, who was a member of their practice squad for the last two seasons.
The Bears have re-signed QB Tyler Bray. He’s back in the fold as the third QB to try and earn a spot on the roster behind Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky.
Bray is very familiar with the Bears offense, as well as with how head coach Matt Nagy wants things done. He spent five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to his two-year stint with the Bears. Bray, who turns 29-years-old in December, has only played in one regular season NFL game in his career. In the 2017 season finale, he went in late in the game to relieve Patrick Mahomes against the Denver Broncos. Bray bungled the handoff on his first career snap on a play that led to a fumble return for a touchdown by the Broncos.
Chicago bringing Bray back doesn’t automatically mean he’ll be the team’s guaranteed QB3, however. As Windy City Gridiron’s Bill Zimmerman pointed out, Bray is likely headed to the team’s practice squad for the third straight season.
Tyler Bray Will Likely Be Bears’ Practice Squad QB, Team May Still Draft a Quarterback
Zimmerman pointed out that new rules established by the recently-passed CBA now allow veteran players to be eligible for practice squads across the league. Per the new CBA, teams can now have players on their respective practice squads for an unlimited time. Bray, whose contract with the Bears was up at the end of last season, became a free agent and was ineligible to return to the team’s practice squad. The new CBA rules changed all that, erasing any limits to how long players can be on practice squads.
Zimmerman also had an interesting note about why the Bears may want to add another QB to their quarterbacks room. “The Bears would want 2 QBs on their roster if they traded one of the three they currently have,” he tweeted.
Zimmerman seems to think there’s a small possibility the Bears could trade former second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky. Referencing the Washington Redskins recently sending a fifth-round draft pick to Carolina in exchange for quarterback Kyle Allen, Zimmerman thinks the Bears could get a possible late round or conditional pick in exchange for Trubisky.
@ChicagoBearsMB If Kyle Allen gets a 5, I would think you could get a 6 for Mitch or at least a conditional in 2021.
What’s most likely is what Zimmerman suggested initially: that the Bears want Bray as their practice squad quarterback, at least for the 2020 season — and possibly beyond. He could also be released, as Chicago could very likely still draft a young quarterback in the 2020 draft.
Thus, Bray’s return should do absolutely nothing to change the team’s plans on draft day.
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