Tyson Bagent went from Division II to starting as a quarterback in his rookie year. Despite changes in offensive play-callers for the Bears since Bagent’s debut in relief of Justin Fields, they are still committed to the former UDFA.

Chicago shook up its QB room by drafting Caleb Williams first overall this offseason. They also brought in Brett Rypien for his sixth NFL season. However, Fishbain from The Athletic notes that there seems to be no competition for the Bears’ QB2 position, indicating Bagent’s role remains secure as the only returning QB from 2023.

Rypien could serve as Chicago’s emergency third QB under a new NFL rule. Teams can now keep their emergency QB on the practice squad and elevate them continuously without passing them through waivers. Despite Rypien being a vested veteran, the Bears could risk losing him if they expose him to waivers and keep Bagent on the roster. The offseason program indicated a hierarchy of Williams-Bagent-Rypien with Rypien as the emergency QB on the practice squad.

Bagent won the backup QB position last year over P.J. Walker and Nathan Peterman. While his early performance had its challenges with six interceptions, he also led the Bears to two wins and maintained a 65.7% completion rate. His development under new OC Shane Waldron will be crucial for his future success.

Chicago signed Rypien to a one-year, $1.1MM deal with no guaranteed money after his stint with multiple teams in 2023. The Bears currently have four QBs on their offseason roster, with rookie UDFA Austin Reed competing for a place. The increased flexibility of the 16-man taxi squad era presents new competition dynamics in the QB room.

Bagent’s contract runs through 2026, providing stability as the backup QB if he continues to impress. Training camp will be a crucial period for him to solidify his position, but it seems unlikely that he will lose his backup role unless he regresses significantly.