3 biggest stories from Chicago Bears initial 53-man roster
- A 2022 position of need still not solidified?
- Pass rush problems?
- Bold moves at big positions
By Ryan Heckman
3. The new regime is unafraid to make a bold move, even at quarterback
Going into the summer months, the Bears had veteran P.J. Walker labeled as their backup to Justin Fields, with Nathan Peterman the no. 3. All the way behind was the undrafted rookie, Tyson Bagent, out of Shepherd.
He had a long shot to make this roster, but all throughout training camp and preseason, Bagent not only battled, but outperformed his peers. His experience of throwing over 2,000 collegiate passes showed up on the field. His accuracy showed up, too, coming in having completed 70 percent of his college throws.
With his performance, Bagent was not only rewarded with a roster spot, but the backup quarterback job. The kid did it. He actually did it, and Bears fans should be thrilled not just for him, but for the fact that this regime is rewarding talent when they see it.
(Insert comments about the defensive end position, here)
The point is, though, that Poles and his staff are unafraid to make moves that matter. They saw what we saw. For years, we saw things we thought made sense under Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace, but rarely did the two of them make the decisions we thought made sense. Now, a huge decision at quarterback has been made, and the majority of fans are thrilled because we saw it all along.