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Anthony Richardson's Impact on Bears

Analysis: If anything, what Anthony Richardson did at the combine might have had a negative impact on Bears trading opportunities.
Gene Chamberlain|
Anthony Richardson's Impact on Bears
Anthony Richardson's Impact on Bears

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Chicago Bears

What Anthony Richardson did on Saturday afternoon at the combine stirred the imagination and recalled memories of past Indianapolis workout warriors.

What it probably did not do was improve the Bears' chances for making a big haul by trading out of the top spot in the draft. In fact, if anything it might have hurt their draft, but it is possible it could help in one way.

Already Richardson figured into the first round because of his athletic ability and he definitely proved he has this by posting a quarterback record vertical leap of 40 1/2 inches and broad jump of 10-foot-9, while running the fourth-best QB 40 time of 4.44 seconds, .01 faster than Justin Fields.

The New Cam Newton?

Everyone already knew he had great arm strength and at 6-4, 244 he invited comparisons to Cam Newton.

Like Newton, he had only one real college season as a starting quarterback. Unlike Newton he failed to put up the kind of impressive numbers to indicate he'll vault to the very first pick in the draft, and it's actually the sport of football where he'll need to make his reputation and not jumping.

In his one full college season as starter, Newton completed 66.1% of his passes for an astounding 10.2 yards an attempt with 30 TDs and seven interceptions. He ran an astounding 264 times for 1,473 yards and 20 TDs. He seemed to deserve that "S" on his chest he always acted like he was wearing.

Richardson completed only 53.8% (176 of 327) for 2,549 yards and 17 TDs to go with nine interceptions. He ran for 654 yards on 103 attempts after running for 401 yards in 2021 when he wasn't the starter.

What Richardson did was show enough athletic promise for the future that some team with a quarterback and time to let him develop might be interested. A team like the Lions, with a veteran starter already, might be tempted to take him and develop him, except defensive issues they have could prevent it. They do have two first-round picks, however.

A team that sits on the outside of the sphere where the first three quarterbacks might get drafted could even be tempted now to move up and draft Richardson the way Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes. With the supply expanded, it might reach all the way down to the middle or late first-round teams.

There Goes the Fire Sale

However, if you're the Bears Saturday was a negative development because it increases the supply of quarterbacks who could be considered top-10 draft picks.

It gives options to teams who might be thinking of trading up to the No. 1 spot, because now they might not need to do it if they want a passer with unique skills.

When the Bears ring the dinner bell, hoping for suitors who want that first pick, they could find fewer people really interested when there is a fourth QB in the mix.

The laws of supply and demand apply and more quarterbacks for the demand means lower cost. The value of the No. 1 pick can go down ever so slightly.

Would a team like Houston consider taking Richardson second to let him play behind Davis Mills for a while until he has a better team around him? It's possible, but the Texans could do that from the second or first position with a more polished college passer, anyway.

However, it could help the Bears if they really do decide to trade down several times for extra picks.

If they can get that first early trade down accomplished with either Houston or Indianapolis, there could be more teams interested in the second or even third trade down that would be in the market for Richardson.

More successful teams from later in the first round who have fewer pressing needs might start thinking about quarterback and the future. It could open a market later in the round for a team moving back.

"Blown Away?"

There is also the "blown away" factor. Remember, Bears GM Ryan Poles said he would need to be blown away by a quarterback to decide to trade Justin Fields.

Could what Richardson did be contrued as the type of performance to blow away the Bears GM?

It's unlikely because it's only one small step in the process. The game film is more critical to overall evaluation than what someone did in a mini-pentathlon at Indianapolis.

Consider, too, that if you removed Fields and had Richardson as starter next year, even if you manage to build a better team around the quarterback in Year 2 of the rebuild you're likely to get similar or worse results than last year because of the quarterback's complete and total inexperience.

Rookie quarterbacks almost always lose a lot of games. Last year is not something anyone in Chicago wants to relive.

Fields has the experience now to make advances if surrounded by better talent and it's the best path available.

It's a silly notion that bringing in another quarterback in Year 2 lets Poles and Matt Eberflus reset the clock, so to speak.

George McCaskey/Kevin Warren reset the clock for the coach and GM and they're not going to rush out and add an extra year to the contracts for the coach and GM simply because they decided to ditch their old QB and try one with far less experience.

The clock is running on their rebuild and the development of a different starting quarterback would only giving the coach and GM less time to get to the actual process of winning. The new quarterback would need learning time and the coach and GM would have less of it.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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