I Am Starting To Talk Myself Into Jacoby Brissett As Being The Best Option For The Bears
Watson, Wentz, back to Watson, now Wilson, and on and on it goes. BIG rumors for the Bears at the most important position in all of sports, but we know how this goes...it doesn't. Maybe in this instance for the Bears it also shouldn't. I don't like Matt Nagy and I am about half way out on Ryan Pace too. Call me crazy, but I am not super thrilled about the idea of mortgaging the ENTIRE future of the organization and put my faith in Nagy and Pace to hand over a bag of cash and a treasure trove of picks when they might just fuck it all up anyways. They haven't earned the right to make such a franchise altering decision in my opinion. I have ZERO confidence in that crew to get the most out of Watson or Wilson and put a roster around them given the cap restraints and lack of draft capital in years to come. I would NEVER complain about landing a true, proven, franchise QB like Watson or Wilson. I would be over the moon excited about it. I just don't think it will happen and it would scare me too. These are two guys who are forcing their way out of their current situations...what is to say that they won't do the same thing here in 2 years after Pace and Nagy are fired for not being able to capitalize on Watson/Wilson? Then you're trading away a QB who is still expensive AND is 2 years older. If that situation doesn't make you at least a little nervous then you're either blind or you've got ice water in your veins and you're willing to take that risk knowing the possibilities of being in the gutter for a decade if it doesn't work.
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The guy I keep coming back to for the Bears is Jacoby Brissett. I've always had a spot for him going back to his days at NCST. The other guys on Redline always make fun of me for believing in random QBs that I liked in college. Tyler Bray being the biggest of that joke. Brissett isn't a joke. I think he might be the best option for the Bears, all things considered.
The first thing to consider...his price tag. Right now he is an unrestricted free agent. So unlike Watson, Wilson, Bridgewater, Darnold, or any of the other quarterbacks reportedly available it won't cost the Bears any draft capital. Which is good for this upcoming draft where the Bears can grab a tackle or WR and also won't have to give up Roquan or Eddie Jackson(which has been rumored). They'd be able to add to their depth without stripping away the defense which has been the strength of the team for offensive genius Matt Nagy.
Brissett also probably won't command big money that would be owed to any of those other options. You can likely get Brissett at a reasonable number and then who knows, take those saving and apply them to a deal for Allen Robinson or some other toy for Brissett and the offense. Maybe another DB who can play the slot.
Brissett is also at least somewhat familiar with the Nagy system since he spent the last 4 seasons in Indy. Frank Reich was the coach for the last 3 years. Reich and Nagy are both branches off of the Andy Reid tree. I am sure there will be a learning curve, but it will probably be easier than bringing in a guy from another system.
He is smart. Brissett knows where to go with the football and he does NOT turn it over. Brissett started 15 games for the Colts in 2019 and while his numbers weren't amazing he didn't kill you either. 18 TDs and only 6 interceptions. He threw for 3000 yards and completed 61% of his passes. The Colts went 7-9 that year and missed the playoffs. That wasn't really on Brissett though. They started off awesome that year. He was offensive player of the week after lighting up the Texans for 326 yards and 4 TDs in week 7 and the Colts were 5-2 through week 8. Then the injuries started piling up. Brissett had a tweaked knee that limited him physically but he played through it all year. He also had basically ALL of his weapons out for stretches. There was a time where arguably his 5 best options were all out. That was also the year where Adam Vinatieri finally broke down. The Colts lost in OT to the Chargers week 1 and Vinatieri missed two FGs and an extra point. He missed an extra point against the Dolphins which prevented them from being able to kick a game tying field gold late and they lost 16-12. He also missed a game-winning 43 yard kick against the Steelers. If the Colts win those three games and go 10-6, they make the playoffs, and they probably never even sign Phillip Rivers in 2020.
Through all of this bullshit the last several years, the one thing you could say about Bears QBs is that they were good guys. Brissett is also one of the good ones. He was the Colts' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man Of The Year this past season. That's important. A guy with a good personality who can come in and command a huddle and a locker room. He is a culture guy according to Pat McAfee. That's a guy I trust.
Brissett was mentored by Bill Parcells as a HS and college kid. He's learned the Patriot way with Belichick and Brady. He has learned from Andrew Luck and Phillip Rivers. He is familiar with the system that Nagy wants to run. He's had some limited success. He is smart and holds on to the ball which will help make life easier on the defense. He won't be expensive to sign and they don't need to give up assets to get him via trade. He has had success in the NFL as a starter. He might just be the perfect guy all things considered. A bridge to the end of this era with as defensive stars like Hicks, Mack, and Trevaithan age. Put Brissett in as QB1, run the ball with Monty like we saw in November and December, draft OL help, franchise Robinson, and let's get back in the mix. I am IN on Jacoby.