ECHornet

That's my preferred route too. Also more fun for fans instead of the cycle we've been in the last three years.

If we’re going that route, give me Max Duggan in mid to late rounds or a guy like DTR from UCLA in the 6th/7th. I think DTR could replace PJ Walker as a 3rd QB type. I’d want to spend our early picks setting it up for the 2024 rookie to come in and hit the ground running. Unless, of course, Duggan or Corral become the guy. I’m rooting for Corral, but those seem like long odds.

I just don’t see backup QBs out there that intrigue me more than Darnold who can also be had for cheap. Minshew and Brissett are probably closest to Darnold, but Brissett is 30 y.oz and Minshew played worse this year. Under an excellent offensive team too. Give me Darnold, unless we want to do the smart thing and truly tank for a 2024 QB.

Please name a few of the backup QBs with higher ceilings than 25 y.o. Darnold. I can't think of many.

He played right around middle of the pack for starting QBs in the league during his 6 game stretch. Fortunately, we might be able to sign him to a cheap, back up level contract.

3238 Yards - 15th in the NFL 20 Pass TDs - 15th in the NFL 9 INTs - Tied at 15th worst in the NFL

In spite of, but he did land the coveted "game winning drive."

"Every conceivable metric" - except the ones from this season.

Brian Branch is my favorite safety. A bunch of good CBs will go mid-late first.

Going to make it hard to move Elflein with injuries to both guards. He was a prime candidate to clear up some cap space.

Looks like the Bears were 6th in pass block win rate in 2018. Pretty similar, but Fields had better protection according to those stats. So saying Fields had poor protection this year doesn't hold up.

According to ESPN, the Bears had the 2nd best pass block win rate in the NFL and the 5th best run block win rate. I think Trubisky would have loved that kind of support up front. Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34536376/2022-nfl-pass-rushing-run-stopping-blocking-leaderboard-win-rate-rankings-top-players-teams

You and I have a different recollection of those Bears teams. They were built on defense and never invested in offensive weapons around Trubisky. That doesn't really matter. I'm not arguing Trubisky should be a franchise QB. I'm providing reasons why I would draft Young if I were the Bears.

What's that?

Career Stats Per Game - Fields / Trubisky Total Yards: 210.2 / 203.5 TDs: 1.3 / 1.3 INTs: 0.8 / 0.7 Comp %: 59.7 / 64.2 Passer rating: 79.7 / 86.4 Win % in Games Started: 20% / 56% Source: https://stathead.com/football/pcm_finder.cgi?player_id2=FielJu00&player_id1=TrubMi00&sum=0&request=1 One is apparently a franchise QB and the other, despite having equal or better stats, is considered backup level.

Probably overpaying to resign him. The way it worked out, we may be able to sign him to a cheap backup deal instead. I don't understand why signing a backup QB who would have us in playoff contention is a bad thing to some here.

This. The only reason passing on Fields was a mistake was it could've been us he led to the #1 draft pick. Then we would be in excellent position to choose a franchise QB.

Who would the Huddle rather have at QB next year? Justin Fields (3 years left on rookie contract) Bryce Young (5 years) CJ Stroud (5 years) In order, I'd go Young, Stroud, and then Fields.

Until I hear otherwise from their organization, I believe the Bears may select a QB at #1.

I’d be more entertaining if attempting to troll. I think anyone unhappy with signing Darnold for two years at 5mil per is trolling. That would instantly give us a top 5 backup QB situation in the league for the value.

Career rating would have finished 32nd of qualifying QBs this year. Not good. His first four years were pretty terrible. That doesn’t mean I have to ignore what looks like progress. Y’all can deny it, but I know you know we’d be division champs if Darnold was healthy all year.

Y’all are so mad bearded Sam returned and hurt our draft position by playing the best ball of his career.

Passer rating, eh? Including the game you mentioned, Darnold’s passer rating for the season was 92.6. That would have been 13th in the league. The team went 4-2 with him as a starter. Worth 2 years, 5 mil per? Yes. I still think that’s a great deal.

Same. Draft Young 1a + WR Johnson/Addison with 1b + TE Kincaid/Washington with 2a + WR Flowers/Rice with 2b and let's build a proper offense.

If we lost, we'd be drafting 8th. Don't think that's going to cause us to lose a bidding war.