The Chicago Bears don’t have to acquire a starting quarterback in free agency, but they might be interested in a veteran backup.
Perhaps the most suitable choice for that position currently available is previous Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans starter Ryan Tannehill. Bill Barnwell of ESPN designated Chicago as the “ideal team fit” for Tannehill in an article released on Wednesday, March 20.
“The depth chart in Chicago consists of Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien,” Barnwell wrote. “Tannehill’s not going to challenge probably No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams for the starting role, but some veteran experience in the quarterback room would be beneficial.”
Healthy Ryan Tannehill ‘Overqualified’ as Backup Quarterback
GettyQuarterback Ryan Tannehill, previously with the Tennessee Titans.
Tannehill was a standard NFL quarterback for the first part of his career, during which he was in Miami. However, he received a Pro Bowl selection in his initial season in Tennessee in 2019 and guided the Titans to the AFC Championship Game. The team subsequently secured playoff berths in the next two seasons as well.
Utilizing Tannehill’s five-year history in Tennessee — including last year as an example — Barnwell argued for why a healthy Tannehill remains a QB of starting quality, even though he will be entering his age-36 season in 2024.
“I’m not sure anybody was going to excel behind a weak offensive line in Tennessee last season,” Barnwell wrote Wednesday. “The 2022 edition of Tannehill averaged 7.8 yards per attempt with Robert Woods as his primary wide receiver, and it’s significant that the Titans fell apart after their starting quarterback sustained another ankle injury. That form of Tannehill would be excessively qualified as a backup.”
An opportunity to genuinely compete for a starting role in Week 1 does not seem to be available for Tannehill with any team in the league, which means he will likely seek a favorable backup position for the first time in his 12-year career — during 11 of which he was a starter, and one he missed entirely due to injury (2017).
Potential chances with teams such as the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, depending on how their drafts unfold, could offer Tannehill a better opportunity to start earlier and potentially secure the role permanently for the rest of the 2024 season.
Bears Should Be Looking for Ryan Tannehill Type of Quarterback to Play Behind Caleb Williams
GettyQuarterback Caleb Williams, formerly of USC.
However, a situation like Chicago could also be appealing given the Bears’ offensive lineup. Tannehill can serve as a mentor to Williams for a year and possibly step in if the rookie encounters injury issues, leading the Bears in important games as a legitimate playoff contender in 2024.
From Chicago’s perspective, Tannehill is precisely the kind of player the team requires. He won’t challenge Williams’ status as the franchise QB in the short or long term, but he brings a wealth of starting experience and understands what it takes to make a deep playoff run.
Tannehill will also be economical after completing a four-year, $118 million agreement in Tennessee that lapsed after the 2023 season. Spotrac estimates Tannehill’s market worth at around $5 million for a new one-year contract.
Tannehill has accumulated an 81-70 record as an NFL starter and also has a 2-3 record in his postseason career.He has achieved a total of 34,881 yards, 216 touchdowns and 115 interceptions in his career.
