Tyson Bagent Has What Coaches Want in QBs

It's possible the Bears have found the proverbial standout QB who slipped through the cracks.

It happens. Lightly regarded passers become successes: Kurt Warner, Johnny Unitas, possibly even the last pick of the 2022 draft, Brock Purdy. The jury remains out on him.

This type of thing happens maybe once a generation and not really with Division II passers like Tyson Bagent.

The NFL's elaborate scouting system normally accounts for everyone, especially quarterbacks. In the case of Bagent, though, it seems someone failed to properly recognize something. Whether it's the type of talent to ever be a regular NFL starter, no one can say now.

However, what Bagent did against the Raiders did make everyone sit up and take notice.

Beating a mediocre team at home in a one-shot deal is one thing. Taking it up another level to challenge Justin Fields as starter is entirely something else and probably not what the Bears are thinking about with a player they signed off the street.

Only those really discouraged by Fields' efforts to date could champion Bagent's cause after only one home-field win. Win on the road in prime time when Fields hasn't pulled off consecutive wins since his first victory as official starter two years ago, and then quarterback controversy could be on in the minds of some.

At the least, Fields would know there's someone capable behind him providing pressure.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus actually saw a scenario not entirely different last year up close and personal.

The New Bailey Zappe?

The Bears went to New England and faced Mac Jones coming back from an ankle injury after Bailey Zappe had been a bit of a sensation for three weeks. Jones struggled and got benched during the game for Zappe, who had initial success but was eventually bowled under by the pre-Roquan Smith trade Bears defense. Benchings of Jones have played out this year in what can't be deemed a healthy QB situation.

At least New England has an experienced backup from the whole thing in Zappe, an unsung fourth-rounder from Western Kentucky.

If the Bears have this with Bagent, it would still be a find. Teams need good backups.

If he's something more, it would be remarkable.

"You know obviously last week was his first week and we had that game plan there," Eberflus said of Bagent. "And we thought he did a really nice job of executing that game plan.

"Of course, every single week is different. You've got a different set of circumstances in terms of defensive scheme you're facing. This defense is different than the last one, and our setup is a little bit different. So the protections are different, the motions, the shifts, how it looks, play concepts are different. And that's every week. So now he's got to transition to Week 2, and we're excited about his opportunity for him doing that this week."

If Bagent can make this transtion, operate another game plan catered to a different opponent and do it in a road victory, eyebrows indeed could be raised.

Teaching Bagent

When they started working with Bagent, they found they had someone with great football intelligence and a better arm than some have given him credit for having—although it remains to be seen whether he has "a cannon," as he maintained in jest after Sunday's win.

"Yeah, I would just say that we teach everybody the scheme, and that’s an important piece, and you teach them the concepts," Eberflus said. "Each player grasps those concepts differently at a different pace.

"And I think what (coaches) do well is they understand the differences of the player, of how they grasp the concepts, and he's one of the guys that grasp it fast. He was able to chunk a bunch of information in a fast period of time. So he was able to learn more of the playbook faster than a lot of people. So that's very important that he had that capacity as a quarterback."

His processor worked better than it does for some players.

"I think it's because he played a lot of ball," Eberflus said.

It might have been Division II ball but it was ball, nonetheless, and the ideas and concepts are the same. The skill level of opponents and teammates are the difference.

"I think he understands concepts," Eberflus said. "I think it's very important to him to work extra hard at it outside the building. I thought that's really what the coaches did well, is understanding the process of how each individual learns and also Bagent of course."

The foundation for quarterback development is understanding target progression on a given play and moving through it as fast as possible. If they do, they're able to play naturally, seemingly without thinking.

"It starts with being process driven," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "I guess that's where you start the whole thing off at. You’re teaching the quarterback timing, rhythm, footwork that matches your progressions so when you hit a certain timing in your footwork, if that No. 1 progression's not there, it's time to go to No. 2 and so on and so on. That’s the starting point for it all.

"But in the end, when you play the game, the style of a player, the instincts of a player, they have to always take over. This is a player's game. Your job (as coach) is to put them out there and give them the time, the space to go do what they do best. So for every player, that’s always different."

Getsy pointed out it's the same way at other positions.

"You watch (Chiefs tight end Travis) Kelce play," he said. "There's nobody that feels the game better than that guy.

"I got to coach a guy at the previous spot (Green Bay) that felt the game incredibly well at the quarterback position (Aaron Rodgers), at the wide receiver position (Davante Adams), so that instinct part of it is something you always want to lean on."

He Has an Arm But Is It a Cannon?

The instincts seem to be there. Eberflus called the actual throwing motion one thing they worked on with Bagent.

"Yeah, just tightening it up," he said. "Really just tightening of the footwork and getting the ball out quicker.

"But again, he got it out quick. He's got a quick release, but you can tighten those things up in terms of his platform, his footwork, keeping him inside the frame and working on what number of hitch this is for this particular throw, for that particular throw, and he's done a good job with that."

All of that seems fine but the questions will persist about Bagent's physical ability until he's been through it all for a while. Essentially, does he have the arm?

He called it a "cannon" on Sunday.

Asked if Bagent has a strong enough arm and confidence of coaches he can get the job done this week against the Chargers' vaunted pass rush, Getsy took on both issues at once.

"Yes and yes, I guess would be the answer to that," Getsy said. "We have complete confidence in Tyson and whatever that ... yes .. I guess that's the simplified answer."

Anything beyond what Bagent does this week probably depends on Fields' thumb, and Friday Eberflus said it's showing improvement.

Bagent's time to prove he's one of those guys who shocks everyone has a clock.

Perhaps he can make certain he gets other opportunities in the future if he can produce another strong effort against the Chargers.

The Bears could use their own version of Zappe, if for no other reason than to provide a spur to their starter. They'd have to hope Fields would handle the competition better than Jones, who hasn't been the same since then.

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