DONE DEAL: Bears Has Officially Completed The Signing of Top QB Who Is Better Than Caleb Williams.

Reed replaced Bailey Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round pick for New England, as the Hilltoppers’ quarterback in 2023, and has thrown for 8,084 yards and 83 touchdowns (12 rushing) in the last two seasons. While he may be a bit of a project, the Bears are accustomed with the process, having developed Tyson Bagent into a backup in 2023.

The Bears are not looking for a starting quarterback after selecting Williams with the first choice in the draft, but they might spend training camp determining which of their other three quarterbacks is most suited to serve as Williams’ backup. Bagent appears to be the favourite to keep his job from last year, but experienced Brett Rypien (free agent signing) and Reed are also in the mix and will definitely want to secure a spot.

Chicago has yet to confirm the signing of Reed or any other undrafted rookies, but it took them less than a week to finalize their UDFA acquisitions for 2023.

Can the Bears continue their UDFA success with Austin Reed?
Reed is a fascinating signing, given how things ended with Bagent in 2023. The Bears signed Bagent as a camp arm last offseason behind Justin Fields, P.J. Walker, and Nathan Peterman, but he outperformed expectations in training camp, securing a roster spot over Walker and then pushing out Peterman for the backup job midseason.

Bagent then had the opportunity to make four starts for the Bears in 2023, while Fields was injured. He was unrefined, throwing twice as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns (three), but he showed promise as a backup and helped the Bears win two games when their season appeared to be over.

Now, this does not guarantee Reed can do the same for the Bears in 2024, but it does demonstrate their willingness to let anyone on their roster compete for crucial jobs. Reed may have an easier time competing for the No. 3 quarterback place with Rypien than outright earning the backup job, but last year’s whirlwind with Bagent should serve as a warning to supporters not to underestimate an undrafted rookie’s ability.

For what it’s worth, Williams seemed pleased that Reed is joining him in Chicago. He published Pelissero’s report on X with the following caption: “Woahhhhhh!!! Haha, yeah.”

Bears are unlikely to get a veteran quarterback behind Caleb Williams.

The Bears selected their next franchise quarterback in the 2024 selection and will now spend their efforts on developing Williams to his greatest potential. Still, it is reasonable to wonder if they have the necessary personnel in place to keep them competitive in the unlikely event that something keeps Williams off the field during his rookie year.

Bagent and Rypien have each made four career starts, although Reed has not even participated in an NFL practice. Even if Bagent improves from his rookie season, it may be difficult to bet the full season on such a young team. The difficulty is that if they decide to bring in a more seasoned veteran, they will have a difficult time finding one.

Ryan Tannehill is the only starter-quality quarterback available in free agency at this time, but he is unlikely to fit in with the Bears for a variety of reasons. He did not do well in his final season with Tennessee in 2023 and would have to be content with not being able to challenge for a starting position if he signed with Chicago. He would also have to be willing to sign at a price that benefits the Bears rather than his own aspirations.

If Tannehill is ruled out, the Bears’ non-trade alternatives are nearly exhausted. Teddy Bridgewater retired and now coaches high school football. Walker and Trevor Siemian have already been and gone with the Bears. Blaine Gabbert has the greatest playing experience, but he failed in 2023, throwing for only 185 yards and three interceptions in one game with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unless something truly attractive arises, expect the Bears to stay with inexperience.