Bears make final decision at the quarterback position following new NFL rule change
The Chicago Bears quarterback room is officially set as the team gets closer to trimming the roster down to 53 players.Among the long list of cuts the team made on Tuesday, two quarterbacks were told they did not make the cut in Chicago: veteran Brett Rypien and rookie Austin Reed.The news comes one day after […]
The Chicago Bears quarterback room is officially set as the team gets closer to trimming the roster down to 53 players.
Among the long list of cuts the team made on Tuesday, two quarterbacks were told they did not make the cut in Chicago: veteran Brett Rypien and rookie Austin Reed.
The news comes one day after the NFL announced a change to the emergency third quarterback rule, forcing team's to keep said third quarterback on the 53-man roster.
Initially, this seemed like good news for depth quarterbacks around the league, but it seems like teams aren't valuing that role if it means utilizing an open roster spot. As a result, the Bears are prepared to enter the 2024 regular season with only two quarterbacks on the roster, first overall pick Caleb Williams and backup Tyson Bagent.
Rypien was expected to be a veteran voice in the room for Williams until the new rule change went into effect on Monday. The initial expectation is that the Bears will look to bring back Reed, the undrafted rookie, back on the team as a practice squad arm, saying he clears through waivers on Wednesday.
Rypien played the majority of the preseason snaps for the Bears at the position, finishing 11th in the league in passing yards and tied for second in passing touchdowns. Reed finished with 122 yards and one score in his first NFL preseason.
For those worried about having a veteran mind in the room to help Williams' development during the season, this is where the coaching staff comes into play. Williams will have plenty of knowledgeable minds at his disposal in offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joesph, passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, and offensive assistant Ryan Griffin (who served as an NFL backup for over a decade).
As expected, Bagent will once again be the immediate backup in the room for the second year in a row. The second-year former undrafted free agent has continued to impress in Chicago and the team feels confident having him in this role in 2024.
Bears Roster Cuts Tracker 2024: Keeping tabs on all of the moves to get to 53
Tracking all the roster moves made by the Bears
