The Chicago Bears haven’t named a starting quarterback for their Week 5 game against the Raiders in Las Vegas, and judging by the questions in Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag, fans aren’t happy that Matt Nagy hasn’t pledged to stick with rookie Justin Fields.
Other popular topics: the change in play callers, the lack of targets for tight ends and the Bears’ land deal in Arlington Heights. Let’s dive in.
In your opinion, does the lack of support Matt Nagy has shown for Justin Fields indicate that he is not only not on the hot seat but has been assured his job is secure beyond this year and possibly longer? — @sm_douglass
I don’t think Nagy has shown a lack of support for Fields. I think it’s the opposite. While I understand many will cry “phooey” at this suggestion because Nagy hasn’t named Fields the starter from here until eternity, he’s doing everything in his power to help the rookie improve, including turning over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor last week. I also don’t believe any of the conspiracy theories floated since early in the offseason suggesting Nagy and/or general manager Ryan Pace have received secret contract extensions. I’d be really surprised if that is the case. That would be truly bizarre even by Bears standards. Think about it. Who extends the GM and coach in the offseason and doesn’t announce it?
Where are we now? The Bears are preparing for Week 5, and Fields has started two games and played in 21/2 after Andy Dalton left the Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second quarter. My guess is Fields will be named the starter for Sunday’s game in Las Vegas, perhaps as soon as Wednesday. Many people — I hear the masses — are angry Nagy hasn’t committed to Fields as the starter for the remainder of the season. Let’s try to sort this out by reading between the lines without the emotion some are injecting into the situation.
Here are my hunches:
I think Fields will start against the Raiders. When Nagy said Monday the Bears wanted to see where Dalton was over the next two days, I took that as a hint they could be prepared to name a starter during the middle of the week, Wednesday or Thursday.
The Bears can stick with Fields this week and say that while Dalton is improving as he recovers from a bone bruise in his left knee, he’s still not 100%.
Just because Nagy has said repeatedly that Dalton will be the starter when he is healthy, that doesn’t mean the scenario cannot change in the interim. In other words, if Fields can stack impressive games back to back, nothing prevents the Bears from changing course. That has happened before with quarterbacks around the league and will happen again.
Saying Dalton will be the starter when he’s healthy gives Nagy a trap door to return to the veteran if Fields has another miserable game on the road in Las Vegas. Let’s say the offense does nothing against the Raiders. Nagy could pivot to Dalton the following week without having to publicly demote Fields. It could be all part of the plan — which was for Dalton to be QB1 when healthy.
I think Fields will play a lot this season. I said that before the season and he’s already on his way. He has made two starts, and provided he remains healthy, I’d guess he starts a minimum of 12 games. Some way, somehow, I think he will be out there for at least 10 starts in the 13 remaining games. It could be that he deserves to be the starter entering the Week 6 meeting with the Green Bay Packers.
When the season is over, I don’t believe anyone will look back and say Fields didn’t get enough opportunities to play and grow. I don’t believe anyone will say there isn’t enough film to review from the season or things for him to look back on and study as he prepares to improve during the offseason.
The fan base only wants to see Fields. I get that. I can ensure you Nagy realizes that is the case. I think Fields will play a ton this season, so I don’t see anything coming out of Nagy’s mouth right now as a reason for people to tie themselves into knots.
Fields put together one really nice game against a very bad Lions team that is on track for a top-five pick. Sure, the Lions will find a way to capture some victories this season, but that is a bottom-five roster in the NFL and it could have been the easiest game on the schedule. Fields was bad the week before executing a rotten game plan. Everyone deserved blame coming out of Cleveland, Fields included. Based on that, it seems like a little bit of a jump to anoint Fields after one productive game when considering the degree of difficulty the Lions presented.
Perhaps you don’t agree that Nagy is supporting Fields, but there are many ways the coach can “support” the quarterback without naming him the starter for the rest of the season. Just naming him the starter wouldn’t in itself be supporting him either. I think we will see sharper game plans moving forward. They might not all work perfectly, but I think they will be in tune with what Fields needs to succeed.
Do the Bears have a contractual obligation (side letter or even handshake) that Andy Dalton will be QB1 unless he is demoted for merit (vs. injury)? Otherwise, hard to explain the constant announcements and clarifications that Dalton is the starter. — @anthonywanger
No. There were no promises made. There’s no side deal. The Bears told Dalton they were signing him to be their starting quarterback, and their plan after the draft — like many other teams have done with first-round picks at the position — was to roll with the veteran from the start. As I stated above, I believe Fields has a shot to win the job outright with his performance, and my hunch is he will start Sunday against the Raiders. It’s possible Dalton will heal in time to return this week, but instinct tells me Fields gets another start after the win over the Lions. Maybe I’m wrong — I sure have been before. But there’s no wink-wink deal with Dalton, and as I said above, I am confident Fields will have a ton of playing time before the season ends. I’d be stunned if he doesn’t have significantly more than Dalton. Some folks dream up wild scenarios when the team doesn’t take the path they desire.
Based on Matt Nagy’s reaction in his two press conferences after the Lions game, is it likely that giving up play calling wasn’t his call? — @brandonjdorsey1
I don’t believe that is the case. That’s not the style of general manager Ryan Pace, and I also don’t believe that’s how Chairman George McCaskey operates. Nagy has total control over his coaching staff and thus the power to delegate roles and responsibilities as he sees fit. I have a difficult time believing Nagy was told to hand over play-calling duties or take a hike. Maybe consider the possibility (or probability) he was wise enough to determine on his own that a change would benefit the team. I’m not defending Nagy — he’s a .500 coach in the regular season since the start of 2019 (18-18) — but I think he’s in a trick bag with the fan base right now.
Should we start to worry that Matt Nagy is legally insane for saying Dalton is still QB1? — @jacksworld11
Let’s see how Justin Fields performs the next time he starts on the road, which could come Sunday in Las Vegas. As I’ve detailed in length, the Lions were a lousy opponent and Fields has a lot more to prove. He had a really good game, made some aggressive throws downfield that were on the money and did a good job running the offense. It’s arrow up with Fields right now and he looks to have a very bright future. Will Fields starting 13 games this season versus 12, or 12 games versus 11, affect his development heading into Year 2? I don’t believe so. Sure, if I am a Bears fan paying a couple thousand bucks to head to Las Vegas and see the game in person, I’d badly want to see Fields in action. I get that, and I’m sure the Strip will be packed with Bears fans this weekend. Maybe their wishes will be granted.
Assuming the Arlington Park deal closes next year, which do you think is more likely: The McCaskey family develops the land and builds a new stadium or the Bears get sold at a more inflated value since they would then own valuable property for a stadium development? — @it_me_who_dis
I don’t have any reason to believe George McCaskey is driven to consider a sale of the team now or in the near future. A lot of people have speculated about this possibility, but I look at this from another angle. The development of a new stadium would create a situation in which ownership has greater revenue streams coming. The team would be more valuable and would create more money for ownership. Nothing leads me to believe the Bears will be put up for sale.
You’ve touched on stadium cost risks, and I’ve seen other analyses that the financials needed to build a new stadium are very difficult for the McCaskeys because they do not have non-football wealth. Do you think there’s a chance they add a minority owner with real wealth to get it done? — @hat_monk
Certainly anything is possible. What might be more likely is the team seeking investment partners for the property in Arlington Heights. I don’t think the Bears necessarily want to get into the business of owning a hotel, an entertainment district or anything like that. So maybe they will line up investors to assist with the cost of building a new stadium while maintaining majority control of the building. I’m just speculating, but that seems like the most logical approach. The NFL, no doubt, would assist at some level with construction costs.
How has the Bears offensive line graded out thus far? Arguably, only Cody Whitehair and Sam Mustipher played in the preseason. The rest have seemingly played their way into shape. — @nootsnotes
The Bears have gotten about what was expected from the offensive line to this point. Lost in the “CSI: Lake Forest Quarterback” drama has been the fact the line had a solid game against Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. It wasn’t great but it was pretty good, and the Bears ran the ball effectively. Left tackle Jason Peters remains a powerful force in the run game, and he will have a difficult time against athletic pass rushers. James Daniels still is settling in at right guard, the third position at which the Bears have used him in four seasons. It might take a little more time for him there, but he’s probably the lineman with the highest ceiling on the roster. I think we’ll have a better feel for where this group is in another four weeks or so when we get to midseason. Can the Bears be productive in the running game without David Montgomery, who does such a nice job of breaking tackles, running with contact balance and turning 3-yard gains into 5 and 5-yard gains into 7? That will be interesting to watch with Montgomery sidelined by a left knee injury.
Why do you think Matt Nagy was so defensively self-serving in his postgame comments about the play calling? Bill Lazor did a good job and the team won. Can’t Nagy be happy about that? There’s an old saying, “It’s amazing what can be accomplished if we don’t care who gets the credit.” — Dennis G., Evergreen, Colo.
Nagy has been beaten up pretty good since the news conference after the victory over the Lions, but he’s at a point now where a lot of fans are going to pile on him no matter what he says. He did get around to complimenting Lazor for the job he did. Would he have looked better had he been more forthright with that after the game? No question. But he did eventually praise Lazor for his play-calling efforts in the win, and the rest was a lot of rambling that didn’t mean a whole lot. Ultimately Nagy won’t be judged by what he says. He will be judged by results on the field and how rookie quarterback Justin Fields performs. Nagy came across as more transparent in his first season in 2018, when the team was having a lot of success. He has been under pressure since the six-game losing streak a year ago, and now when he’s grilled with questions about the quarterback situation on a weekly basis, if he isn’t saying “Fields is my guy,” a lot of fans don’t care what his message is. His message probably could be a little more finely crafted, but it is what it is. Again, the message isn’t as important as the results.
It seems the secondary has occasional glaring gaps in coverage where receivers are left completely uncovered, leading to big plays. Is this due to mistakes in communication between players, individual players losing matchups against their opponent, systemic flaws in the various schemes, calling the wrong coverage on a blown play or all of the above? — Chris R., Midlothian
You’ve noticed something that has been an occasional problem for the Bears. Fortunately, the defense was stout in the red zone during Sunday’s 24-14 victory over the Lions or it could have been a much different outcome. Kalif Raymond had a 25-yard touchdown reception from Jared Goff, and it appeared there was some type of coverage breakdown on the play. I’d say “all of the above” to answer your question with a lean toward communication breakdowns. The scheme is solid, but all 11 players have to be on the same page or you can see a major void in the secondary. That was an issue in the opener against the Rams. It’s going to happen from time to time, but it has been a little too prevalent through four games — the primary reason the Bears are 22nd in the league in opponent passer rating at 103.9. Once they stop giving up the explosive plays (they’re tied for 19th, having allowed 14 pass plays of 20 or more yards), the statistics will improve.
Please help me understand how a quarter into the season, the Bears can have Jimmy Graham (playing on $9 million guaranteed) and Cole Kmet (43rd pick in the 2020 draft) combining for nine receptions for 70 yards and no touchdowns. I don’t get the lack of targets. You’re trying to bring along a young quarterback. It seems to me a talented pass-catching tight end would be a rookie quarterback’s best friend next to a running game. The team has invested in this position. You’ve had two different coaches calling plays. Two different quarterbacks. Nothing from the tight ends. Thoughts? — Jeff G., Palmetto Bay, Fla.
I understand the focus on the tight ends given that collectively they have produced very little through four games. I would point out that in the only game the Bears had what looked to be a productive air attack, they attempted only 17 passes. They jumped out to a 21-0 lead over the Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field and went with a heavy ground attack. As you stated, the running game is a young quarterback’s best friend. The Bears leaned on David Montgomery and Damien Williams, and they delivered. As the passing game grows and the Bears get into games in which they need to throw more, we’ll see more chances come the tight ends’ way. Graham is not guaranteed $9 million this season. He is making $7 million, including a $100,000 offseason workout bonus. Let’s see what shakes out in the weeks ahead. Remember, Kmet got more involved in the passing game late last season. I’m not saying that was only a result of Bill Lazor calling plays. It also had to do with Kmet settling in as a rookie. The Bears don’t have a Travis Kelce on the roster, but that doesn’t mean the players they do have can’t be much more productive.
Is it time to rethink expectations about Cole Kmet? So far, he hasn’t proved to be special in any aspect of the tight end position? — Brian L., Milwaukee
I don’t think so. The tight ends haven’t been heavily involved in the passing game as a group, and that’s more a function of the rest of the offense and the play calling than a lack of growth or potential for Kmet. He has improved from last year and can do more when given opportunities. While he has a great arm — he was a pitcher at Notre Dame — Kmet cannot throw the ball to himself. I thought Kmet and the tight ends in general did a pretty nice job of run blocking in the victory over the Lions. Patience is required, and I imagine there will be a game soon in which the tight ends play a bigger role in the passing game. Kmet has only 15 targets with eight receptions for 59 yards.
If the Bears aren’t going to use Jimmy Graham much, can he be traded before the deadline for some help in other areas of need? — @jerryf642
Graham has a no-trade clause in his contract, so the only way the Bears could move him is if he decided to waive that. I highly doubt any team would give up something for Graham. He will be on the roster for the entire season and will carry salary-cap hits into the future as the Bears restructured his contract for this season to create cap space. He’s earning $6.9 million — $1.075 million in base salary and a $5.825 million restructure bonus.
Does anyone know what Alec Ogletree’s thoughts are about remaining with the Bears beyond 2021? Is he pricing himself out of the Bears’ plans if his excellent play continues? — @mdourlain
Ogletree is coming off his best game of the season. He made a game-high 12 tackles (10 solos) with one tackle for a loss and a key breakup of a fourth-and-goal pass from the 5-yard line by Lions quarterback Jared Goff to running back D’Andre Swift. Matt Nagy really praised Ogletree on Monday, and it’s evident he will remain in the starting lineup for the near future even with veteran Danny Trevathan in a 21-day practice window as he returns from injured reserve. Ogletree is second on the defense with 24 tackles, trailing only Roquan Smith (40). That’s not a super telling statistic because inside linebackers should lead the team in tackles, especially in a base 3-4 scheme, but he’s playing well. I’m not sure Ogletree, 30, will cash in big on the open market after the season. Inside linebacker is one of the easier positions to fill, and he will be a year older. Remember, he was a disappointment for the New York Giants after they acquired him in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams, and he couldn’t stick with the New York Jets last season. He’s playing much better now, but at his age and considering positional value, I don’t know that he will cash in big time. Can he do better than the one-year deal for the minimum that he’s currently on? No doubt. But he probably has to play really well to get a multiyear deal.
When is Tarik Cohen coming back? — @cesarher315
That question has come in every week, and I haven’t addressed it each time because there really hasn’t been an update. I saw Cohen jogging out of the tunnel to the Bears sideline Sunday at Soldier Field, and he’s not jogging without a clear issue with his knee. When he has been spotted at practice — and he’s constantly around the team — he isn’t moving around with a normal gait. Just based off that, Cohen doesn’t look close to returning. Add the fact the Bears traded a 2023 sixth-round draft pick to the Miami Dolphins for wide receiver Jakeem Grant, a return specialist, and I believe that is further evidence Cohen is not close to returning. I’m sure he’s making progress, and the Bears have said he’s working his butt off in rehabilitation, but I wouldn’t put a timeline on his availability. All I can say is he doesn’t look close to being game-ready based on my observations, and with Grant in the fold and the team flipping a draft pick for him, it’s possible Cohen won’t be an option until late in the season or until 2022.
What’s going on with Breshad Perriman? — @bearsfan4lyfe1
Perriman has been inactive for the first four games. He probably has a good handle on the playbook by now, but the Bears have been struggling to get the passing game going, at least until the win over the Lions. I’m not sure there is an opening for him unless the team wants to demote Marquise Goodwin or Damiere Byrd, who haven’t produced a whole lot. Darnell Mooney is the deep threat in the passing game, and it’s not like Perriman is going to unseat him. He’s a depth guy right now for the room.
When the Bears move to Arlington Heights, can someone “conveniently” lose the air raid siren? — @fwhedonist
From your mouth to George McCaskey’s ears. A move to Arlington Heights is far from a done deal, but everything certainly points toward that. If the Bears manage to build a new stadium that holds noise better, maybe they won’t deem the annoying siren necessary as a cue for the crowd to get rambunctious.
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