Matt Nagy's False Assumption

It's good to know Matt Nagy hasn't lost hope the Bears can step up into the realm of perennial title challengers by finding the right quarterback.

The problem for the Bears is just what it's always been—who is the right quarterback and how does one obtain this creature?

In an interview with NFL.com's Michael Silver, Nagy said he anticipates a rush on quarterbacks will occur this offseason in both the draft and free agency, and it is fueled largely by the success Tampa Bay had at bringing in an old quarterback who transformed their team in one offseason.

"With all these quarterbacks out there, and all those young guys who'll be in this draft, it's gonna be a fascinating offseason as far as the quarterback position," Nagy told Silver. "And once one goes, it's gonna be like a domino effect."

There is a change of thought Nagy sees going on league-wide as being sparked by success Brady's had.

"I'm fascinated by this quarterback position in the NFL, and how it works," Nagy told Silver. "The world we're in right now, it really doesn't allow you to develop an Eli Manning or a Philip Rivers or a guy who's going to grow into the role and be with your franchise for a long, long time.

"Now, because we live in an instant-gratification world, it's throw them into the fire, sink or swim, and if they can tread water for two or three years and you can put a good team around them, then maybe it can work. And if not, you're looking for the next guy."

The final four teams in the conference chase confirmed to Nagy the importance of finding a quarterback.

"I think you look at those four teams that were in the (conference championships) and the guys that were leading those teams—and you look at the impact a big-time quarterback can have on a franchise," Nagy said. "You're looking at maybe 10-12 quarterbacks that are starters in this league for sure, who are quote-unquote locked in, and that's it—which is crazy to think about."

More pertinent to the desires of Bears fans, Nagy added about finding a quarterback: "Anything we can think of we're gonna look into it. We feel like we're really close."

There are problems with what Nagy says.

He might be right about a rush or domino effect occuring.

Whether this is actually a positive trend the Bears need to put their faith into is in question.

Right now we haven't seen a wild frenzy and more finished trades in the aftermath of the Matthew Stafford-for-Jared Goff deal. It was simply two teams trading quarterbacks. Nothing else has happened since then except meaningless rumors and whining.

Still, assume this wild quarterback movement occurs. Does it mean it will work in one season for other teams the way bringing in a quarterback from outside did for Tampa Bay?

Tampa Bay didn't just bring in another quarterback. The Buccaneers brought in Tom Brady.

To believe acquiring a quarterback like a Carson Wentz or Derek Carr or even Deshaun Watson will allow a team to make a similar quick turnaround to NFL semifinalist is awfully presumptive.

Watson looks like a special talent but he has had good talent around him in Houston, especially on defense. Houston attained higher levels in his first three years and he still could elevate the Texans to only one playoff win and no conference title game appearances.

Is Matthew Stafford going to do it in Los Angeles? He never elevated Detroit beyond making a few meaningless playoff games, all losses.

Usually the Lions were bottom feeders, worse even than the Bears. If he does push the Rams over the top, it isn't because he's on a level with Brady or Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers. It's because he already has what could be a Super Bowl team structure in place and they brought in the one necessary slightly better piece to get them past simply being another playoff qualifier.

So could this apply to the Bears?

The Bears no longer have a defense as good as the Rams have. They never have had the structure for success on offense that the Rams have had.

They're not turning it all around immediately with any quarterback they might find.

It's going to be a slower process for them because there is only one possible available quarterback with potential to elevate them to the extent Brady has with Tampa Bay, and they can't afford him. That's Watson. It's questionable whether even he could do this, but the Bears don't need to worry if he can because they lack the ability to make a trade for him. Other teams can offer far more.

Beyond Watson, there really are no others and there are none who could do it the way Brady has.

Brady is special. That's the message from this postseason which escapes Nagy. Maybe it's because his Bears were fortunate and beat Tampa Bay that he doesn't see this.

Brady got the Bucs this far by joining a team with a strong defense, but mainly by completely immersing himself in every aspect of the offense as if he was a player-coach. He also did it by playing the role of player-GM, applying pressure for them to bring in specific players who made a difference such as Gronk, Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown.

Including Watson, there are no other quarterbacks on the market who could do what Brady did in one year.

Buffalo and Kansas City are examples of teams in the NFL's final four who drafted and developed quarterbacks the right way and paired them with good teams and coaching staffs. The Packers are different because they've had Aaron Rodgers a long time.

So Nagy's comment about the final four teams somehow insipring a change of thinking isn't accurate.

The Bills have a quarterback who wasn't even as good as Mitchell Trubisky was in his first two seasons, but Josh Allen made a breakthrough much the way Carson Wentz or Jared Goff did when they helped already-stronger teams reach a Super Bowl. His development came at an opportune time.

This is the way the Bears have to find a quarterback and get him into the lineup.

When Nagy says there are 10 or 12 NFL quarterbacks who are "locked in," he's being far too generous to the league's other quarterbacks.

There's locked in, and then there's locked in like Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.

And then there's locked in like Brady.

Because Rodgers and Mahomes are taken, and the Bears can't compete for Watson, there is no other quarterback who is going to make the kind of complete and totally successful impact immediately for them like Brady made in Tampa this year.

So where does this leave the Bears?

They're right where they've always been on Super Sunday. They're watching Brady on TV.

They'll be there until they draft and successfully train a quarterback to fit into a successful team the old-fashioned way, and not by using some perceived, trendy plug-and-play method only accomplished by a 43-year-old living legend.

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