Word Has Leaked On Arizona’s Possible Offer For Tyson Bagent — Why It’s Not Enough
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’ll 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’t 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.
Chicago’s 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’d 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, an offer has leaked.
It would likely be a 4th or 5th rounder in 2027 that would turn into a 3rd, depending on how many games Bagent started.
That won’t be enough to pry Tyson Bagent from Chicago.
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’t 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 factor. Chicago’s head coach hasn’t 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’s a starter who happens to be the backup.
Why would Johnson willingly give that up for a minor pick?
One must keep in mind that the Bears are under no pressure here. Bagent is under contract for two more seasons at a reasonable rate. It’s other teams that need to take advantage of that. Do you pay Willis $30 million or take a gamble on Bagent for $4.75 million? It is an interesting discussion to have. With one, you lock into a potentially dangerous contract. With the other, you have massive financial flexibility, but give up a high draft choice.
The Bears can sit on Bagent until a team is desperate.
That isn’t likely to happen until at least after the primary wave of free agency. When the dust settles, several teams will realize their best course of action will be either to take a flier in the draft or try the trade market. The Bears could even wait it out until after the draft. If there are still a team or two out there who haven’t found a desirable solution, they may circle back to Tyson Bagent and, this time, be willing to give up compensation that might satisfy Johnson.
We’re likely talking about a 2nd round pick.
The Bears hold all the cards in this situation. They are under zero pressure to trade Bagent. He’s on a modest contract for two more years and in no hurry to leave the organization. The coaches love him, as do teammates. If you think he’s starter material, then be prepared to pony up the resources required to get him. A future Day 3 pick with incentives attached won’t cut it.