The Bears signed Andy Dalton as a free agent this offseason in a move that may have given them their starter for the 2021 season, but didn’t really address the long-term outlook for the position.
Nick Foles is the only other quarterback on the roster and neither player fits the bill of a quarterback who could be expected to hold down the spot for years to come. That’s left the Bears as one of the teams who might be in the market for a quarterback during this week’s draft.
At a Tuesday press conference, General Manager Ryan Pace said he thinks there’s good depth a the quarterback spot in this year’s class and that having a pair of veterans on hand would make the team a good landing spot for a rookie.
“I think our QB room would be a good place for a young player to enter. But again we are going to take the best players in this draft,” Pace said, via Zack Pearson of 247Sports.com.
The Bears currently have the 20th overall pick and the general expectation is that five quarterbacks will be off the board by that point. Pace said moving up is an option and it may be an appealing one if Pace thinks he can land a quarterback that will improve both the team and his chances of continuing as the G.M. in Chicago beyond the 2021 season.