Bears sign quarterback P.J. Walker Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
FeaturedNFLBy Ben Axelrod on

Prior to their matchup against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football, the Chicago Bears made a move at quarterback.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Bears have released veteran quarterback Nathan Peterman. In a subsequent move, Chicago has activated offensive guard Teven Jenkins from injured reserve. The 2021 second-round pick had missed the Bears’ first four games of the 2023 campaign with a leg injury.

In waiving Peterman, Chicago’s quarterback room now consists of starter Justin Fields and rookie Tyson Bagent. An undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University, the 23-year-old Bagent has yet to take an official snap in his rookie season.

Similarly, Peterman had not taken a snap for Chicago after re-signing with the team following the 2022 campaign. While the 29-year-old initially served as Fields’ primary backup through the first three weeks of the season, he was demoted to third-string prior to the Bears’ Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos.

With Chicago looking for its first win of the season, it will be interesting to see if the Bears’ quarterback depth — or lack thereof — becomes a factor in their primetime matchup against the 2-2 Commanders. Shortly after news of Peterman’s release was first made public, many took to social media to weigh in on the move.

 

[Tom Pelissero on X]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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