At this point, most Chicago Bears fans are totally in Russell Wilson Watch mode, but closing a deal for a defender at his peak is hard to say the least, so the Bears can be forced to slow down a bit this offseason. We discussed all possible QB scenarios for the Bears as they emerged in the past few weeks, but until General Manager Ryan Pace chooses his next guy, the Bears will continue to be linked / rumored to all available QBs.
In the last column of Albert Breer’s Monday Morning Quarterback via Sports Illustrated, he talks about the New York Jets and their ongoing commercial discussions for Sam Darnold. Breer reports that eight teams called New York to ask about Darnold’s availability, but that the Jets want to have a chance to watch eligible draft quarterbacks up close and in person before making the decision to switch him.
The professional days they would like to attend are Trey Lance from North Dakota (March 12), Zach Wilson from BYU (March 26) and Justin Fields from Ohio (March 31).
With the opening of the league year on March 17, which is the date on which the free agency begins and negotiations can become official, the Jets may be forced to move Darnold before seeing each candidate play in person.
While Breer does not specifically mention the Bears as one of eight teams to verify an exchange for Darnold, he does mention the Bears as one of three “teams to watch” along with Washington and San Francisco. Since the Bears are not drafting high enough to arrest one of the best newcomers, Breer feels that negotiating the Bears for a young prospect like Darnold could be his “best move”.
With reports circulating that the Bears made a switch to Wilson their top priority, I imagine 23-year-old Darnold would be one of several alternative options for them.