Chicago Bears Re-sign QB Jimmy Clausen

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a busy morning for Bears news with the Marshall trade, Cutler and Forte trade rumors swirling, and news that the Bears have re-signed backup QB Jimmy Clausen to a 1 year deal. Clausen appeared in 4 games with the Bears last season including a start in week 16 when Jay Cutler was benched by former head coach Marc Trestman. He played surprisingly well in his one start vs the Detroit Lions who had one of the best defenses in the league.

Clausen completed 23 of 39 passes for 181 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 20-14 loss. Unfortunatley for Clausen, he suffered a concussion during the game and wasn’t able to start in week 17. His start against the Lions was Clausen’s first since his rookie year in 2010 when he went 1-9 as a starter for the Carolina Panthers under Bears new head coach John Fox.

Like last year, Clausen should be the primary back-up for Jay Cutler. Even if Cutler were to be traded or released, Clausen doesn’t profile as a starter but is a decent NFL backup. The Bears did show interest in former backup Josh McCown, bringing him in for a meeting last week, but he ultimately signed a three year deal with the Cleveland Browns. The financial terms haven’t been released yet, but Clausen will no doubt be a less expensive option.

The Bears also have 2nd year QB David Fales on the roster who should be Clausen’s primary competition for the backup job. It is a weak draft class for quarterbacks, but I could see the Bears potentially adding another rookie to the mix to compete with Clausen and Fales.