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The Nick Foles Experiment has just gotten underway for the Chicago Bears, and no one can say for certain how it’s going to turn out. The 31-year-old veteran quarterback turns 32 in January, and his injury history has to be considered when the Bears are looking ahead, regardless of his performance.
Meanwhile, over in San Francisco, the 49ers and their fans are watching as third-year quarterback Nick Mullens fills in quite capably — yet again — for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
Mullens is a restricted free agent next season, so the 49ers will likely designate a first-round tag on him, as 49ers general manager John Lynch has stated many times how much the Niners value his contributions. “He plays at a high level. His brain functions really quick. He can process information in a hurry,” Lynch said about Mullens this week.
Considering several of the 31 other teams in the league are in need of reliable quarterback play, it’s no wonder the Bears have been listed as a primary destination for Mullens in 2021.
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Bears Dubbed as One of the Top Destinations for Mullens
Bleacher Report named the Bears as one of the five best landing spots for Mullens, should he choose to play elsewhere next year listing the team’s current quarterback situation as the primary reason:
“The Bears have a disaster brewing after Nick Foles replaced Mitchell Trubisky in the starting lineup. Foles is a good short-term solution, but the Bears shouldn’t bank on him as their long-term answer.”
Chicago will need a franchise quarterback moving forward — that’s no question. But whether the team wants to find their guy in the draft or via free agency, they’ll likely be using another high draft pick or two regardless.
Do the Bears want to use a first or second-round draft pick on an unproven player like Trey Lance, or do they want to throw a high pick to San Francisco for a semi-proven Mullens, who has at least shown he can play and compete at this level? Considering the Bears’ history with the quarterback position, it’s anyone’s guess. But one thing is clear: Mullens has a ton of potential.
Nick Mullens Stats: So Far, So Great
Mullens has had an incredibly impressive start to his career, taking full advantage of every opportunity he has gotten. He is one of just two quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for 2,600 passing yards and 14 touchdowns in their first nine starts. Patrick Mahomes is one. Mullens is the other. Even legendary quarterback Brett Favre is an outspoken fan of his game.
He also just joined Joe Montana as the only other quarterback in franchise history to have at least 220 passing yards in every game he has started. In his 11 career starts, Mullens is 209-321 for 2,691 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, with an overall rating of 91.5.
Another thing to note is that while they value him immensely, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has already brushed aside rumors that Mullens’ play could nudge Garoppolo out of his starting role.
“No, that scenario doesn’t exist,” Shanahan said, adding: “But I don’t think past one game either. That’s for you [the media] to do. This is Jimmy’s team. He’s done a hell of a job for us, and when he’s healthy, he’ll be playing again for us.”
The way he’s playing in Garoppolo’s absence, Mullens should get an opportunity to start somewhere else in 2021, and if the Bears are serious about finding a franchise quarterback, they have to, at the very least, take a good long look at him.
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