Mike Glennon, quarterback, Chicago Bears
Okay, so this isn’t Brock Osweiler 2.0, but it’s not nothing, either. The Chicago Bears, desperate to find any answer at quarterback that didn’t involve Jay Cutler, signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon to a three-year, $45 million contract that includes $18.5 million guaranteed.
He was, by default, the prized free agent quarterback of the 2017 free agency class — one devastatingly devoid of any real options at this critical position.
As a third-round rookie out of North Carolina State, Glennon surprised many by throwing 19 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. Unfortunately for him, Lovie Smith didn’t trust him in 2014, benching him for veteran Josh McCown. He’s been relegated to bench duty ever since because Jameis Winston was drafted No. 1 overall in 2015.
A quarterback with a live arm who can certainly make every throw an NFL passer needs to make, many have suggested all Glennon needs to thrive is a legitimate opportunity to start long term.
The biggest problem with this theory is that, even in college, Glennon struggled with accuracy, finishing his career with a completion rate of just over 60 percent. His NFL completion rate, to date, has been under that mark, and it stands to reason that he is basically a 60-percent passer. In today’s NFL, that’s not a recipe for success.