Should Chicago Bears look to this former starter as a backup quarterback

One area where the Chicago Bears failed in from a team management perspective was the backup quarterback. Most teams are in trouble when the backup comes in, but the Bears were cooked for a very specific reason.

The team adjusted their offense to the skill set of Justin Fields, but neither Nathan Peterman nor Trevor Siemian could possibly run a similar offense. Essentially, they signed those quarterbacks thinking that they would mold Fields into their style, then adjusted on the fly, and had pretty useless backups.

When Justin Fields got injured everything the offense was building had to stop and pivot on the fly. When Fields came back, they had to adjust back, and this is not as easy as some think. The Baltimore Ravens kept a playoff season alive because while Tyler Huntley is not the best backup, he is the right backup for them.

He runs the same offense that Lamar Jackson runs, and they can keep things churning seamlessly. This is what the Chicago Bears need to do. One name to keep an eye on with that in mind is Marcus Mariota.

Should Chicago Bears sign Marcus Mariota?

Marcus Mariota started for the Atlanta Falcons last season, and while things did not work out in the long run, he kept the team in playoff contention longer than some fans thought. That is because they were so efficient running the football, and a lot of that had to do with his threat on the ground.

Mariota had a career-high 438 rushing yards this past season. Still, he was benched, and this was the second team to bench him, and the third to view him as a backup.

Mariota may try to get a starting gig, but it is hard to see anyone in the NFL viewing him as anything other than a backup. With that in mind, Chicago could be a great fit.

Mariota could see Fields and understand that his playing style could lead him to get on the field. He should also see that he would be able to step into an offense designed for him if that happens. Mariota would be able to keep things churning if Fields went down for a brief or extended period.

Beyond that, Mariota is a former Heisman winner, a top-two pick, and now would be on his fourth NFL team. There are things in the meeting room that Mariota can teach Fields, and also mistakes he can explain to Fields from his time.

The only negative would be how Mariota views himself. There were reports that after Mariota was benched, he left the team. Is that because he views himself as the starter, and he will not cooperate as the backup?

They do not want him to push Fields, but help him, and come in if an injury occurred. So, they have to see if Mariota views himself in that light, or if he understands that buying into the backup role could extend his career.

If Mariota is bought in, and he comes in at the right price, there may not be a better backup quarterback option for the Chicago Bears.