The Chicago Bears signed quarterback Brett Rypien to compete with Tyson Bagent to be the team’s backup behind rookie starter Caleb Williams, but one analyst believes Rypien could turn into a top trade candidate instead.
“Any backup quarterback with a bit of starting experience in the NFL could be intriguing to teams in need of help at the position,” Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report wrote on July 1, adding:
“If Bagent beats out Rypien, the Bears could seek a late-round draft pick in exchange for Rypien if there are one or two dire quarterback situations across the league.”
The situation Knox proposes would depend on other teams getting desperate enough to give up draft capital for Rypien as opposed to signing a QB off the street (Ryan Tannehill comes to mind). While that seems highly unlikely, it’s still a possibility.
Could QB Brett Rypien Be Solid Trade Option for Chicago Bears?
Rypien, 28, has been in the league since 2020, when he signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. He spent his first three seasons in Denver before heading to Los Angeles, where he served as a backup for the Rams in 2023.
While in L.A., Rypien worked in Sean McVay’s offensive system, which is similar to the one run by Bears first year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Rypien also spent time on the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks in 2023, where he also worked Waldron first hand.
Over his four years in the NFL, Rypien has appeared in 10 games and started four. He had a 2-2 record in those starts and has completed 58.3% of his career pass attempts for 950 yards, 4 touchdowns and 9 interceptions with a passer rating of 59.9.
“He is obviously not the most attractive quarterback to trade for, but any experience is better than no experience,” Knox wrote about Rypien. “From the Bears perspective he would be one of the only tradeable assets because they are building instead of shredding their roster.”
The Bears also signed rookie UDFA quarterback Austin Reed after the 2024 draft, so it seems just as likely Rypien could be cut as opposed to traded.
Tyson Bagent Will Likely Be Backup for Bears Moving Forward
Bagent won over the Bears coaching staff and fans alike as an undrafted free agent rookie last year. He started four games in relief of former Bears quarterback Justin Fields in 2023, going 2-2 in his month as a starter.
Bagent’s numbers in 2023 weren’t great, but he showed enough poise in the pocket to keep sacks at a minimum (he was sacked five times in his five appearances) and his instincts and football smarts were evident from the get-go.
“You’ve got to know when to eat the play, you’ve got to know when to take advantage of the play,” Bagent said in November of 2023. You’ve got to know when to escape and you’ve got to know when to just throw it away or take a sack.”
As a rookie in 2023, he completed 65.7% of his passes for 859 yards, 3 TDs and 6 interceptions with a passer rating of 71.4. Considering Bagent’s age (he just turned 24) coupled with the potential he showed last season, the Bears should keep him around barring something unforeseen.
Rypien’s previous ties to Waldron shouldn’t be overlooked, but if Bagent does win the backup job — and he should — trading Rypien would make some sense. It would be finding a willing trade partner that would likely prove most difficult.
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