Ryan Poles: Bears open to adding a veteran quarterback, but not desperate for one

Tyson Bagent is entering his third NFL season and, at just 24 years old, is the oldest and most experienced quarterback currently on the Chicago Bears. The other is Caleb Williams, who's 23 years old and entering his second season.

To many fans and analysts, moving forward with such a young and inexperienced quarterback room is a mistake.

Though this topic has been discussed earlier in the offseason, we now know GM Ryan Poles' thoughts on the subject after his appearance on the Hoge and Jahns podcast.

When asked if they were looking for a veteran quarterback to help mentor Williams and Bagent, Poles confirmed that they're keeping an eye on the market and are open to bringing someone in.

A veteran quarterback would have to accept a QB3 role

The most important takeaway from Poles' discussion on the quarterback room had to do with the status of Bagent. Many fans believed that Bagent is sitting on a roster bubble and would likely find himself on the practice squad if another quarterback is signed.

That doesn't sound likely. Poles implied that a newcomer to the QB room would have to understand and embrace the role of a mentor. A competition for the QB2 spot with Bagent could arise organically, but they're not looking to bump Bagent out of his spot. The coaches and the front office appreciate his skillset and his extreme competitive edge.

Plus, we already saw Bagent go 2-2 in the 2023 season while Justin Fields was on IR. For a backup quarterback, you can't ask for much better than that.

The veteran quarterback market is mostly dried up

One thing that is likely keeping the Bears from signing a veteran quarterback is a lack of free agents who fit what they're looking for: an experienced veteran willing to mentor two young players without seeing the field in a game.

Obviously, you can cross Aaron Rodgers off that list. Kirk Cousins is likely to be traded soon, but he would not fit this description, either. Jameis Winston would likely have worked out, but he signed with the Giants. Joe Flacco might be the only quarterback left who meets Poles' requirements.

Unless the 40-year-old is willing to delay retirement another year and sign with Chicago, I'd expect the Bears to roll into 2025 with just Williams and Bagent again.

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