The Chicago Bears have been rumored to be looking for a veteran quarterback that can come in and push Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. While they don’t seem to plan to replace Trubisky at this point in time, they want a guy who could earn the starting job of the young quarterback continues to struggle.
CBS Sports has listed the Bears as the top potential free agency landing spot for free agent quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The Bears want to bring in a veteran to challenge Mitchell Trubisky — much like the Titans did with Tannehill last year. Mariota is not exactly a “veteran,” but he’s someone who has starting experience. If things fall flat with Trubisky in year four, the Bears need to have someone behind him with both experience and potential to take over the franchise. Mariota fits that description.
Mariota could absolutely sign with the Bears and push for the starting job. Who knows, perhaps a change of scenery would help him unlock his full potential. If that happens, Chicago could have a new long-term starter.
At just 26 years old, Mariota still has plenty of time to turn his career around. He could very well end up being the backup for the Bears, but it would likely be on a short-term contract.
Last season with the Tennessee Titans, Mariota only played in seven games before being replaced by Ryan Tannehill. He completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,203 yards, seven touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Mariota also picked up 129 yards on the ground.
Chicago would be wise to look into the possibility of signing Mariota. Having a quality backup would be valuable and they may even see him on the field at some point.
Expect to see quite a few teams have interest in signing Mariota this offseason. The Bears should be one of them.
