The next time the Bears need Tyson Bagent to start at quarterback, he’ll be ready.
“I’ll probably be able to accomplish a lot more,” he said.
It’s not a matter of if the Bears will need their undrafted rookie to step in, but when. At some point, be it this year or next, he’ll have to play.
It’s a given in the modern NFL. Twelve different teams have had to start a backup quarterback this season — and the Bengals will be No. 13 next week after star Joe Burrow was ruled out for the season with a wrist injury Friday. Amazingly, five of those teams have had to start two different backups — the Raiders, Browns, Cardinals, Vikings and Giants.
Another three teams have had backups throw at least 25 passes this season without starting a game — the Saints, Steelers and Patriots. Add them up, and 16 teams — half the league — were forced to give a backup quarterback considerable playing time. And the season’s barely half over.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus has noticed the quarterback attrition when watching film of games featuring future opponents. Often, the player under center is different than the last time he watched film of the same team.
“Every tape I turn on, I’m like, ‘This guy’s playing quarterback?’” he said.
A good backup quarterback has become essential.
“Those guys have to be ready to go,” Eberflus said. “Our guy was.”
Despite an ugly 71.4 passer rating, Bagent went 2-2 in four starts after starter Justin Fields dislocated his right thumb. He needs to improve, but Bagent looked comfortable less than a year removed from playing at Div. II Shepherd University.
“I’ve learned that I do fit in with the best of the best,” he said.
Even if Bagent remains a serviceable backup for the length of his three-year contract, the Bears have found a keeper at a good price — a deal signed minutes after the draft ended. In a disappointing season, that’s a victory for the Bears’ front office.
“He’s a good player,” receiver Darnell Mooney said. “He’s going to be doing some things — he’s going to be back on the field for whoever, wherever, whatever opportunity it is …
“I’m glad he was able to get the opportunity within those four games.”
When Fields starts Sunday against the Lions, Bagent will return to the backup role with a new perspective.
“I thought there was a lot on my plate when I was the backup — and then I was the starter for four weeks,” Bagent said. “And then you realize how there wasn’t really a lot on your plate.”
He learned lessons that will benefit him next time out. At first, he said, he wanted a broad idea of what each offensive play entailed; as the starter, though, he needed to know every intricate detail.
“Anything more than that,” he said, “and I think you would freak out a little bit thinking about the grand scheme of things and how big of a job being quarterback is.”
He was impressive running the Bears’ offense inside a cacophonous Superdome — and then threw two interceptions and fumbled once in the fourth quarter.
“You can’t play really well for three-and-a-half quarters and then let any plays go,” he said. “That’s probably the biggest thing. Got to be locked in for all 60 minutes.”
He knows that for next time he’s needed.
“I think at the beginning, I was comfortable, but … you hadn’t taken that first snap live against a non-preseason opponent. …” he said. “Now I just feel that if my number gets called for whatever reason, I’m going to feel a lot more comfortable and there’s no nervousness about getting that first snap or anything like that.
“It’s pretty much all under my belt.”
