Chicago Bears Fans Have Quarterback Amnesia

Oct 31, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) leaves the field after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /

Many Chicago Bears fans have forgotten what it’s like to be in search of a quarterback. The signings of Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez should help jog everyone’s memory.

We’ve all seen the movie where the victim of a terrible accident suffers from amnesia and can’t remember things from their past life, even family and friends. Doctors reassure the concerned loved ones that the memories will come back over time. Seeing the signings the Chicago Bears have made at quarterback this offseason has my pre-Jay Cutler era memories flooding back, wishing I’d just forget all over again.

Say what you want about the Jay Cutler era of Chicago Bears football, but until the end, there was one thing that was certain – you knew who the Bears starting quarterback would be. Cutler was never really in a quarterback competition since he arrived in April of 2009. That’s been a constant over the last eight seasons.

We’ve all forgotten what it’s like to be in search of a quarterback. It’s been a long time, after all. By signing Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez, the Bears are back on their quest, searching for the next franchise QB, assuming of course that you consider that Jay Cutler was one.

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Before Cutler arrived in Chicago, the Bears employed a carousel of quarterbacks, with over 20 quarterbacks starting during the Brett Favre consecutive starts streak that spanned 297 games from 1992 until 2010 for three different teams. (Thank you Corey Wootton for ending that streak!)

Of course there were some solid quarterbacks on the list. Jim Harbaugh, Jim Miller and Erik Kramer had reputable NFL careers. The Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton era of the mid-2000’s stands out as a good era, albeit mostly backed by a tremendous defense. But for each Harbaugh or Kramer, I have to read past a Craig Krenzel or Jonathan Quinn. For each Jim Miller is a Moses Moreno or Rick Mirer. I find myself curled up in the fetal position sobbing.

We can only hope that Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez and Connor Shaw are just blips on the radar, mere speed bumps leading into the DeShaun Watson or DeShone Kizer era.

I don’t see the sense in signing two journeymen quarterbacks if the plan is to draft a rookie signal caller. Unless you’re waiting for Day 3 of the draft to pick up late-round developmental project, it just doesn’t make sense. What kind of reps will a rookie QB get? Is Sanchez nothing more than a camp body, a hedge in case the Bears draft plan comes up empty? I wish my quarterback amnesia would just come back. The thought of going through another search is just too painful.

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