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The Chicago Bears aren’t leaving any stones unturned in their search for a quarterback this offseason.
Per Daniel Greenberg of Fansided, former St. John’s University (Minnesota) quarterback Jackson Erdmann participated in the Pro Day at the University of Minnesota last week, and the Bears were there to watch. According to Greenberg, Chicago was impressed with what they saw.
The former Division III quarterback didn’t get to perform at the Pro Day last year, as it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he got an opportunity to throw this year, and he took advantage of it.
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Erdmann Did Not Play in 2020
Initially, Erdmann began his collegiate career at Penn State as a walk on in 2015, but he transferred to St. John’s in Minnesota, his home state, the following year, where he played four years. His senior season in 2019, he completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 5,040 yards, 47 touchdowns and 10 interceptions — but that was against the likes of Wheaton and St. Olaf. He had hoped to showcase his abilities at Pro Day last year, but that didn’t happen.
“For me especially, my feedback as a D-III quarterback coming out of school, it was like ‘okay, he’s got good film. He’s got good stats and everything but we just have to see him in person, being D-III seeing if he looks like he does on tape,’” Erdmann told Fox News. “That’s why the Pro Day was so big for me last year.”
The 24-year-old quarterback didn’t catch on anywhere after his final year at St. John’s in 2020, and he says he has been training hard and biding his time while he waited for an opportunity to showcase his talents.
“It was a little disruption in the plans as far as the canceled Pro Day, minicamps, CFL season, so the last year … I was kind of in limbo,” he said. “I was training, working out with guys just hoping for a shot … This year I was actually able to get into the Pro Day because they had it.”
So, what were scouts and draft analysts saying about Erdmann last year, after he graduated? Per Pro Football Network: “Erdmann was a terrific game manager at the small-school level, but he lacks the deep arm and accuracy to make a roster in the NFL. He’s a developmental prospect whose understanding of the game could help him find a spot somewhere in the league.”
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Erdmann Says He Has Spoken to a ‘Couple’ Teams
With scouts on hand at Minnesota to watch the likes of Rashod Bateman and company, Erdmann says some stopped to talk to him, as well. “I spoke to a couple,” Erdmann told Fox News. “I was throwing pretty much the whole time … but a couple came up to me and were like ‘Hey, I remember you … you looked good. You’ve developed a lot over this last year.'”
The primary knock on Erdmann has been lack of arm strength, but he says he has worked to improve that aspect of his game this offseason. He has been playing in the Fan Controlled Football league this spring, and he says his conversations with scouts have been overwhelmingly positive.
“It was great hearing the scouts’ feedback yesterday like, ‘Hey, you’ve developed well,’” Erdmann said. “I put on some weight since college and I’ve been able to develop a stronger arm and just learn more.”
With Andy Dalton and Nick Foles both currently on the roster, the Bears will likely look to the draft to add another young signal-caller. Erdmann could be a possibility for the practice squad, as Tyler Bray is now gone, but a role larger than that is highly doubtful for the Minnesota native.
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