Bears Projected to Add Former 1st-Round QB as Fields’ Backup

The Chicago Bears have deep pockets for the 2023 offseason and are expected to make some major roster upgrades as they prepare for next season, but their wealth of cap space might be starting to go to some analysts’ heads.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently put together an overview of the quarterbacks who are set to be available during the 2023 offseason and made a wild suggestion for the Bears under his category for cut candidates and second-tier free agents who “figure to be available after the first big-name acquisitions.” He projected Chicago to use some of their money to get a veteran backup for Justin Fields … and sign Carson Wentz.

Wentz is currently back on the market after the Washington Commanders released him on February 27 to create more than $26 million in cap space, ending the cycle of him and his expensive contract getting bounced around to teams needing a veteran starter. Now, the 30-year-old quarterback is a free agent for the time in his career and can sign with a team before the official start of free agency on March 15; although, it remains to be seen how much the league’s teams still believe in his abilities as a starter.

If Wentz has to settle for a backup job, he could be looking for a team with a young, rookie-contract quarterback — such as the Bears — to fix himself for the 2023 season.

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Carson Wentz Has Experience, But Not The Right Kind

Let’s give Wentz the modicum of respect that he deserves: He is a former No. 2 overall draft pick who delivered a Pro Bowl year for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 that served as a major catalyst for them winning the Super Bowl that season. He has also started 92 games over the past seven seasons between three different teams and could have a great deal of wisdom and mentorship to give to a young quarterback as his backup.

The Bears, however, shouldn’t waste the money.

If Wentz has proven anything over the past few seasons, it is that he does not move the needle in the right direction for teams that invest in him. His time in Philly came to a crashing halt in 2020 when he threw nearly as many picks (15) as he did touchdowns (16) and got benched in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts in Week 13. Despite getting cut off after 12 games, Wentz still led the league in turnovers (19) and picks — this all coming less than two years after the Eagles signed him to a four-year $128 million extension.

Overall, Wentz has gotten a bit better statistically in his most recent two stops, but his biggest issue — turnovers — is something he still hasn’t been able to solve. In his first six starts for the Commanders in 2022, he threw six interceptions and fumbled six times before fracturing his finger and spending the next few months on the sidelines. Then, when he got one last shot at redemption as a starter in Week 17, he embarrassed himself with three more interceptions and no touchdowns, prompting the Commanders to shut him down for the season finale in favor of Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell.

Put simply, the Bears can do better than Wentz if they want a veteran behind Fields, even if they only want someone who can be a mentor.

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Better Backup Options Than Trevor Siemian for Bears?

For right now, the Bears are still set to bring back Trevor Siemian as Fields’ backup for the 2023 season, but it isn’t unreasonable to think they might want to replace him with a more accomplished backup given their ample cap space. The Bears have the financial flexibility to bring in a veteran quarterback on a pricey one-year contract to ensure that the position is secure in case of the worst with Fields, and they can also knock down Siemian’s $2.465 million cap hit down to just $500,000 in dead cap if they release him.

Realistically, though, which quarterbacks could interest the Bears?

Marcus Mariota — who was recently released by the Atlanta Falcons — could be an option. He is a mobile quarterback who would fit nicely into a system that is being designed around Fields and his ability to use his legs. He is also most likely going to be affordable considering his last two contracts — worth between $8.8 million and $9.8 million in average annual value — didn’t pan out too well for the teams.

Other veteran options for the Bears’ backup quarterback spot could include Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater, Jacoby Brissett and Mike White.

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