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Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is set to take the reins as the leader of the Chicago Bears’ offense. With the Chicago’s first padded practices kicking off on July 26, the team is just now getting an idea of what to expect from its new signal-caller.
The Bears currently have one of the youngest QB rooms in the NFL. Last year’s backup, Tyson Bagent, is heading into his second season. He just turned 24 in June, and is competing for the same role again. At 28, Brett Rypien is the senior member of the group and is competing with Bagent for QB2.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put together a list of trades every team “should consider” before the 2024 regular season kicks off. For the Bears, he has Chicago sending a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for veteran quarterback Taylor Heinicke and a 2025 seventh-round pick.
“The Chicago Bears have an incredibly young quarterback tandem atop the depth chart. Caleb Williams will be expected to do big things as a rookie and second-year player Tyson Bagent is set to be the backup right now,” Ballentine wrote, adding:
“The Bears could use a veteran like Heinicke to compete for the backup spot and aid in Williams’ development. The primary benefit for the Falcons would be getting a draft pick upgrade and cutting $1.2 million in space.”
Bears Trading for QB Taylor Heinicke Would Be a Long Shot
It’s easy to see why the Falcons would want to move on from Heinicke after drafting rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.
“The Atlanta Falcons’ decision to sign Kirk Cousins and draft Michael Penix Jr. was one of the most wild storylines from the 2024 offseason,” Ballentine noted. “Whether the pair of decisions made sense or not, they render Taylor Heinicke an illogical inclusion on the roster.”
Heinicke signed a two-year contract worth up to $14 million with Atlanta during the 2023 offseason. His cap hit is just over $4.5 million this upcoming season, per Over the Cap. It’s easy to see why Atlanta would want to unload his contract, but it’s not easy to see why Chicago would want to pick it up.
The Bears could very well still go add another quarterback to serve as a backup to Williams. But with training camp already underway and the team kicking off its preseason with the Hall of Fame game on August 1, it’s unlikely Chicago would add a vet now, particularly via trade.
Bears’ Backup QB Job Is Tyson Bagent’s to Lose
Heinicke has certainly been a capable backup. He has started 29 games since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He has a 13-15-1 record as a starter, competing 62.5% of his passes for 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions, also rushing for 588 yards and three scores.
But the Bears already have an intriguing backup in Bagent — one who is younger and more affordable. In some ways, Bagent is like a younger version of Heinicke. Both were undrafted free agents, and both possess moxie and play with a certain scrappiness that often goes with being an underdog.
Heading into Year 2, Bagent is feeling more confident than ever.
“I think the speed in which I can paint the picture in my head and have an understanding of my order of operations before I get to the line of scrimmage have been night and day from last year,” Bagent said on July 26. “Feel a lot of comfort and command of the offense as a whole. It’s nice to be able to play fast without having to hesitate at all.”
Bagent appeared in five games for the Bears last year, starting four. He went 2-2 as a starter, completing 65.7% of his passes while throwing three touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed 23 times for 109 yards and two scores.
As for being a backup, Bagent seems well suited for the role.
“I’ve made a lot of progress in that as far as being a resource and somebody that can help out,” he said. “I want the Bears to win the Super Bowl, so being that resource, if it’s what I need to do, then I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”
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