The signs continue to point in a direction where the Chicago Bears will be trading quarterback Justin Fields in the coming weeks as a pre-cursor to selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles would likely have liked to have a Fields' trade completed by now, but the quarterback market's development may delay the move until after the first wave of free-agent signings next week.
That does not mean that Bears fans won't officially know the quarterback decision before then.
If the Bears are indeed moving toward turning the franchise over to Williams, it goes without saying that the team may want a veteran backup to be a member of the quarterback's room next season.
Tyson Bagent signed a three-year deal as an undrafted rookie quarterback with the Bears last summer. For a Bears team that will be entering a season with a rookie starting quarterback while having the expectations of competing for a playoff spot, Bagent can not serve as the team's backup quarterback next season.
The Chicago Bears would be smart to bring in a veteran quarterback to backup Caleb Williams.
That would be why if the Bears do sign a veteran quarterback at the end of the first wave of free agency next week, it would be a sign that the team is indeed moving on from Fields in favor of Williams.
Veteran Gardner Minshew could be a quarterback that the Bears target. Minshew, who served as the backup to Jalen Hurts during the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl run, would be an ideal target for the Bears, given his experience in the league and ability to tread water if the starting quarterback does down with an injury. Adding a quarterback like Minshew would allow Bagent to continue his development without the pressure of being the next man up if Williams goes down.