Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent was a frequent topic of trade speculation around the time of the NFL Combine in late February and into free agency in mid-March, and those discussions are gaining steam again after he put up an impressive showing in the team’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns over the weekend.
Bagent finished the day 13-of-22 for 169 yards, one touchdown and an interception, as the Bears bested the Browns by a score of 34-10. Bagent also rushed the football once for a seven-yard gain.
“Tyson Bagent has turned himself into a really good backup QB,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah posted to X on Saturday, August 15. “He has a calm presence and plays with conviction. He’s more than capable if needed for stretch of games.”
“I keep thinking he’d be a viable trade option if some team had a serious injury during training camp,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated captioned a repost of Jeremiah’s comments.
The current market for quarterbacks around the league isn’t incredibly strong because the position has remained mostly healthy through the first half of August.
However, that could change at literally any moment given that the preseason schedule is now well underway with a lot more football to play before Week 1 in mid-September.
Tyson Bagent Happy to Remain QB2 in Chicago This Year
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent.
Both general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have raved about Bagent this offseason. That said, Poles was also realistic about the fact that eventually, Bagent is likely to want a chance to start somewhere.
As for now, though, the 26-year-old is happy where he is — slotted in as the QB2 behind budding star Caleb Williams.
“If I’m the backup this year again, I just want to help us win a Super Bowl. Whatever the hell that looks like,” Bagent told Dan Wiederer of The Athletic prior to training camp. “If I just need to execute my ass off on scout team, whatever … I’m willing. I’m just in a position where I’m so willing to play whatever role I need to in order to help the squad and to get better at football.”
Bears Highly Likely to Trade Tyson Bagent Before 2027 Season
GettyChicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
If Chicago holds onto its coveted backup until the opportune moment, a Day 2 draft asset may not be out of the question. That would be a tremendous haul for a player whom the franchise secured as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
The Bears paid Bagent $10 million over two years this offseason and could justify holding onto him for the entire year. Bagent should retain every bit of his trade value heading into next spring, absent a serious injury or the like.
The question for Chicago, which is clearly all-in on Williams as its franchise QB and will almost certainly flip Bagent eventually before allowing him to depart for nothing, will come down to when is the best time to strike? And it is the market that will determine that.
The Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons were potential destinations for Bagent before adding QBs during the spring. The Pittsburgh Steelers could still be one, even with Aaron Rodgers as the healthy starter in what might be his last NFL season.
Next year’s draft class is supposedly going to be strong, and several teams might hold out for a chance to draft a top-end rookie. That could mean that an injury in the coming weeks somewhere in the league might create the best market for Bagent.
However, Chicago doesn’t need to rush any such move.
Tyson Bagent’s Preseason Debut Reignites Trade Rumors Around Bears QB