The 2026 field of quarterback options looks bleak this year. Malik Willis is considered the cream of the free agent crop after some strong starts in Green Bay. However, it\u2019ll probably cost $30 million per year to land him. Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco are long past their primes. Daniel Jones is recovering from a season-ending injury. Worse still, the upcoming NFL draft isn\u2019t much better. Outside of Fernando Mendoza, no other QB is considered worth a 1st round pick at this point. In years like this, you often see some swings on unexpected names. Enter Tyson Bagent.<\/p>\n
Chicago\u2019s backup quarterback became the subject of trade rumors last week when it was reported that the Arizona Cardinals expressed interest. Bears general manager Ryan Poles confirmed he\u2019d been getting calls about the former undrafted free agent. It seems his progress over the past couple of seasons has caught the eyes of coaches around the league. Some are willing to see if he has what it takes to start. According to Bo Brack and Johnny Venerable of PHNX Cardinals<\/a>, an offer has leaked.<\/p>\n It would likely be a 4th or 5th rounder in 2027 that would turn into a 3rd, depending on how many games Bagent started.<\/p>\n That won\u2019t be enough to pry Tyson Bagent from Chicago.<\/p>\n Some people might be shocked by this. Remember, the Bears signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Trading him for an actual draft pick would be an enormous business victory for the organization. After all, Bagent won\u2019t be overtaking Caleb Williams, who cemented his hold on the starting job last season with his single-season passing record and playoff run. Besides, one must remember the Ben Johnson<\/a> factor. Chicago\u2019s head coach hasn\u2019t been subtle about his admiration for Bagent. He openly stated at the combine that he views the 25-year-old as one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league. In other words, he\u2019s a starter who happens to be the backup.<\/p>\n