The Chicago Bears entered the NFL offseason with arguably more at stake than any other franchise. With head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace squarely on the hot seat, both men needed to find an upgrade at quarterback to save their jobs.
Fortunately for Chicago, the quarterback carousel offered plenty of options this spring. Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz became available, but the Bears struck out on both. When Deshaun Watson demanded a trade, Pace had an opportunity to correct one of the biggest draft blunders in NFL history. Unfortunately, the Texans wouldn’t listen to offers.
Finally, there seemed to be real hope. Russell Wilson publicly expressed his displeasure with the Seattle Seahawks and the organization started listening to offers. Not only that, Wilson wanted to play in Chicago. It was the dream scenario for the Bears, then Seattle rejected their biggest offer.
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The Bears reacted quickly, signing Andy Dalton and informing him that he will be the starter in 2021. While it’s a massive disappointment for fans, it seems the front office hasn’t quite given up hope on a blockbuster trade.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Get Up that the Bears haven’t abandoned their hopes of landing Wilson and are keeping their attention on the situation in Seattle.
The Seahawks seemed open to the idea of trading the NFL star, but head coach Pete Carroll ultimately declined the offer. Given Wilson’s feelings about the level of power his coach has, though, it’s possible the situation changes. For their part, the Seahawks have made additions to their offense this spring, moves that would seemingly help the franchise quarterback.
What would it take for the Chicago Bears to land Russell Wilson?
There’s a bit of irony with Chicago’s situation. The team had a 5-7 record late in the 2020 regular season, on the brink of sweeping changes to the coaching staff and front office. But Mitch Trubisky changed everything, leading the team on a three-game winning streak with some of the best play in his career. The Bears snuck into the playoffs, only to suffer a first-round knockout.
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If not for Trubisky’s late run, the Bears are picking much higher than the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. If the club lost a few more games, finishing 6-10, Chicago would have a top-12 pick. That would put them in a great spot for a quarterback.
The Seahawks want a potential face of the franchise if they are going to trade Wilson. Quite simply, that isn’t going to happen if they trade Wilson and the highest pick they get back is No. 20 overall. All five first-round talents at quarterback will be off the board and the Bears’ future picks with an MVP-caliber passer will be even worse for Seattle.
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Offering three first-round picks and multiple defensive starters is a quality package, but franchises prioritize quarterback the most. Ultimately, Trubisky’s late-season effort might be the reason the Chicago Bears are starting Dalton in 2021.