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Chicago Bears Free Agency Report Card: Statistically Speaking

By Bryan Dietzler

Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) throws a pass during the second half of a football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. The Falcons won 43-28. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) throws a pass during the second half of a football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. The Falcons won 43-28. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Mark Sanchez (3) warms up prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Mark Sanchez (3) warms up prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Just in time to make it into this story, the Bears signed another quarterback, their third, in former first round pick Mark Sanchez.  Sanchez has been in the league since 2009 and has been with three teams starting out with the New York Jets.  He then moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles and two years later, landed in Dallas where he was last season.  He did have a brief stint with the Broncos as well.

Sanchez has played the bulk of a 16-game schedule in each of his first four seasons but has only played in 15 total games in the last four years with ten starts.  He has been relegated to back-up duty for the most part recently and appears to be at the tail-end of his career.  So why did Chicago sign him?

Competition is the best way to describe the thinking behind brining in the former USC Trojan star.  The Bears have Glennon, an unproven player who has apparently been handed the starting duties.  Then you have Connor Shaw who is coming off a season ending injury.  He has no experience.

That means the Bears have three quarterbacks, one more experienced to a point, one with very limited experience and one with virtually no experience.  Is this the group they plan to go into the 2017 season with?

It’s too hard to tell now as a lot can change between now and the start of the season.  But to some, the Bears quarterback situation looks even more dismal than it did just before they signed Sanchez.

Is it possible Sanchez has enough let to push past Glennon and make it as the starter in Chicago?  He has the experience and he has some of the tools.  If the Bears allow for some competition at the position, then things should be very interesting this offseason.  It’s not out of the question to say that Sanchez could be the Bears’ starter next season.  Don’t rule that out.

If anything, this signing makes training camp a lot more interesting.  But it doesn’t alleviate the thought that the Bears could draft a quarterback in the April draft.  Their quarterback of the long-term future is still not on the roster.

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