NFL.Com’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Chicago Bears are expected to sign quarterback Mark Sanchez:
The #Bears are expected to sign former #Cowboys QB Mark Sanchez, source said. They are finalizing a deal. More depth to the QB room.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2017
And if you’re anything like me, you’re wondering, “Why?”
Well, we know the answer is “depth”, but then the next question becomes, “Yeah, but is it really worth it?” And to that question, I don’t really have an answer!
Sure, you could do worse than Mark Sanchez as a backup. You could go sign Tim Tebow out of A-ball or something. There’s a good chance the butt fumble was a one-time occurrence. And Sanchez has started 72 games in the NFL, and he’s had passer ratings over 80 in two of his last three seasons. And he was considered a great mentor for Dak Prescott last year in Dallas, which could end up being a useful trait if the Bears draft a quarterback this season (more on that later).
By all accounts, Mark Sanchez, who will be signing with #Bears, was great teammate/mentor for Dak Prescott last year. Good relationship. 2/2
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) March 24, 2017
But the Bears now have a really weird depth chart featuring average-to-bad quarterbacks:
Bears QB depth chart will be something like this: Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez, David Fales, Connor Shaw. Hard to imagine them going QB early.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 24, 2017
And while I don’t agree with Adam Schefter that it’s “hard to imagine [the Bears] going QB early”, the Mike Glennon and Sanchez signings would seem to at least lower those chances a tad. It at least indicates that, while the Bears may still draft a quarterback, they don’t think the Trubiskys and Kizers and Watsons are anywhere near a finished product (and most evaluators would agree with them on this).
But Bears general manager Ryan Pace has to draft a quarterback this year, whether it’s in the first round or the seventh. Unless Glennon — 28 in December — reaches the potential everyone talks about with his upside (mainly because he’s tall!), the Bears’ long-term quarterback is not on this roster. You don’t draft one just to draft one early, but later on in the draft? Take a chance on someone. You never know when you’re going to find the next Tom Brady or Russell Wilson or Dak Prescott.
What we know for sure is that Mark Sanchez is not that guy, and Mike Glennon probably isn’t either.
Bears keep adding 2nd Tier and below guys. Pace had a pocket full of cash and did not add one impact player to the roster. This guy is in over his head. The empty seats at Soldier Field last year did nothing to wake this organization up. There is no plan in place with rebuilding this roster. Unless, the plan is hoping one year deals for often injured or old players lead to wins. Embarrassing.
I wish I could really disagree with anything right now but it’s hard to argue any of that at the moment, ha. It’s Browns-level bad right now. We’ll see with the draft.
Bears better fix OFF/Def line, CB, S, maybe one WR. They sure don’t have a real starting QB, must be waiting for next year draft,. I am sure they will get another good pick.
If you don’t draft a QB on Day 1 or 2 of the draft, you’re better off not even wasting the pick, especially in a bad quarterback draft. Prescott was a 4th round pick, and we all know Brady was picked in the 6th round, but the 4th is realistically the latest you can ever draft a quarterback and hope for something more than a career backup.
If Pace doesn’t take a quarterback in the first three rounds this year, he should be shown the door. If he doesn’t understand the quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, and you need to draft them to develop them, he has no concept on how to build a championship-caliber team.