Getty Quarterback Ryan Willis has been added to the Bears' active roster.
Veteran third-string quarterback Nick Foles is set to get his first start of the 2021 season when the Chicago Bears take on the Seattle Seahawks Week 16.
Rookie quarterback Justin Fields is still nursing an ankle injury sustained in Chicago’s December 20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and backup Andy Dalton has been dealing with a groin injury, leaving Foles the next man up.
Foles has played just one game against the Seahawks over his 10-year career, back in 2015, when he played for the then-St. Louis Rams. He led the Rams to a 34-31 victory. The former Super Bowl MVP hasn’t played a full game since November, 16 2020, so things could get interesting for the Bears in Seattle.
Backing Foles up will be former Spring League QB Ryan Willis, who Chicago moved to the active roster after signing him to the practice squad on December 18. This will be the first time Willis will be active for an NFL game.
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Bears Just Added Willis to Practice Squad a Week Ago
Willis played quarterback at Kansas before transferring to Virginia Tech, where he completed 285-481 for 3,622 yards, 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions his junior and senior seasons. He wasn’t drafted after graduating in 2020, and he landed in the Spring League, where he threw for 1,680 yards and 13 touchdowns in six games.
In a June 15 article by Andy Bitter of The Athletic, Willis revealed he was “close to a midseason signing last fall with the Bears,” so Chicago has had its eye on him for over a year, also working him out at the beginning of this season.
Willis played in a pass-happy offense in the Spring League, and it’s entirely possible he could see action if Foles gets hurt. If that happens, look for checkdown city from Willis.
“This past year and a half, I’ve done nothing but completely work my tail off. In the gym every day, transformed my body,” Willis told Bitter in June. “I’m playing more confident than I’ve ever played. I’m ready to go. About time I start reaping the rewards for what I’m doing off the field.”
“My whole philosophy here in this league is just putting the ball in play,” Willis added. “We’re going to throw the ball on almost every play and just checking it down, putting it in play and letting playmakers make plays for me. That’s kind of where my mindset has been, just raising my completion percentage and good things will happen.”
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Bears Also Brought Ledarius Mack Back
Still reeling from a COVID-19 outbreak, the Bears also flexed linebacker Ledarius Mack, wide receivers Nsimba Webster and Dazz Newsome, cornerback Dee Virgin and Willis to the active roster heading into Week 16.
The Bears had waived Mack last Week after the loss to Minnesota but re-signed him to the practice squad the next day.
Mack has played in two games so far this season, playing on 14% of the team’s defensive snaps and on 22% of the snaps on special teams.
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