The Chicago Bears, along with every team in the NFL, are making a flurry of cuts in order to get their roster down to the 53-man active squad the league requires.
Chicago has trimmed their running back room, parting ways with ballcarriers Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce, but it appears as if their quarterback group will remain the same heading into Week 1.
The team appears ready to roll with Andy Dalton in the opener, and will have Justin Fields waiting in the wings.
Nick Foles will also remain in the picture, which is interesting considering he doesn’t have a clear path to playing time this year.
It’s understandable why the Bears aren’t looking to continue the Foles experiment under center in 2021.
The franchise was 2-5 in games he started last season, and he actually was an inferior option to the much-maligned Mitchell Trubisky.
Foles threw a pedestrian 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season, which is not going to get it done.
Why Foles Needs To Go Now
It appears pretty apparent to fans, the organization, and perhaps Foles himself that a future in Chicago is not going to be in the cards.
So why have the Bears continued to hold on to him?
The argument for keeping veterans around is to mentor young players, but Chicago already has Dalton in the fold, who could fill that position.
Foles actually has the highest cap hit of any quarterback on their roster, and the seventh-highest of any player on the team.
There isn’t much momentum for Foles to have a career resurgence at age 32.
Then again, there wasn’t really a roadmap for him to lead a team to a Super Bowl championship at age 28 either.
The point from a Foles perspective is this; having him in the building as a third-string signal-caller limits the possibility he has to contribute again in a unique NFL journey, and serves the Bears little to no purpose.
Hey y’all, here’s a great conversation Chris and I had recapping my 2020 season. Hope y’all can listen and check it out. @MofT_Podcast https://t.co/6VXYyvqGdI https://t.co/vt42fXJ4qK
— Nick Foles (@NickFoles) February 14, 2021
What The Bears Might Be Thinking
It’s possible that the Bears are looking to flip the script on the circumstances that led them to acquiring Foles in the first place.
Before the 2020 season, there was all kinds of trepidation about having less than inspiring insurance behind Trubisky.
That uneasiness led Chicago to pull the trigger on a deal for Foles, bringing him in from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bears might be looking to capitalize on an injury to another team’s quarterback, or general desperation from other organizations.
Rather than just release him for nothing, general manager Ryan Pace may be banking on Foles’ Super Bowl shimmer to wet at least one more team’s appetite.
For example, now that the New England Patriots have released Cam Newton, they might want to reinforce the backup quarterback position.
Brian Hoyer and the injured Jarrett Stidham may leave them a bit thin, and they might feel inclined to call Chicago to swing a deal for Foles.
Without belief, nothing is possible. Every day is an opportunity to improve. I look forward to the next steps in this journey. #🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vPGLQ63T92
— Nick Foles (@NickFoles) October 19, 2020
The Philadelphia Eagles folk hero is unlikely to land a starting job if he left the Windy City, but he should get the opportunity to be an injury or a stretch of ineffective play away from that opportunity.
NEXT: Nick Foles Boosted Trade Value In Bears Preseason Finale