Top 5 Quarterbacks The Chicago Bears Should Target In The Draft
By Tooch
In Part 6 of our series, we looked at the top 5 safeties the Chicago Bears should target in this year’s NFL draft. Now, in part 7, we’ll take a look at a position that is currently thin on the Bears roster and in need of a young arm — quarterback.
The Bears put a strong emphasis on the quarterback position this offseason when they re-signed Jay Cutler to a 7-year, $126 million deal. They lost last year’s backup and part-time starter Josh McCown to the Lovie Smith-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but retained Jordan Palmer to back up Cutler this year. Head coach Marc Trestman has proven himself as a quarterback guru throughout his career and general manager Phil Emery and the Bears now need to give him a chance to work with a rookie who he can mold into a formidable backup.
Emery and the Bears won’t likely use a high pick on a quarterback, but luckily there are several great options for them to take a look at in the middle rounds:
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron (10) against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
1) AJ McCarron, Alabama
There are several other quarterbacks in this class with better statistics and attributes than McCarron. But his football I.Q. and competitiveness set him apart from the rest. McCarron would absolutely thrive under Trestman and would be the perfect student for the Bears’ offensive system. He’s got great decision-making abilities and does a fantastic job of managing games. He’s a pure pocket passer with very limited speed and agility, but has good accuracy and can throw on the run. Plus, as an added bonus, I don’t think Bears fans would mind seeing his fiance at every game.