8 quarterbacks not named Carson Wentz the Bears should acquire
By John Buhler
The Chicago Bears would be better served to fix this quarterbacking issues than trading for Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz is expected to be traded soon. The Chicago Bears are one of the potential landing spots the former No. 2 pick could land. While the Bears could be a decent landing spot for him depending on the cost, there are at least eight options general manager Ryan Pace should consider before trading for Wentz.
8 better options at quarterback for the Bears over Carson Wentz
8. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Las Vegas Raiders. Marcus Mariota. 28
He was a free-agency target last offseason
It may not be the quarterbacking panacea the Bears are looking for, but they could get better value trading for Marcus Mariota of the Las Vegas Raiders. Like Wentz and Mitchell Trubisky, Mariota was a former No. 2 overall pick in his NFL Draft. While it did not work out for him with the Tennessee Titans in the end, there is reason to believe he can be a quality NFL starter here soon.
It may be hard for the Raiders to let go of him because head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock are very fond of him. However, Mariota is currently holding a clipboard backing up Derek Carr. In short, Mariota is expendable at the right price. Assuming he stays healthy, Mariota may be able to tap into what made him a Heisman Trophy winner at Oregon.
7. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Jimmy Garoppolo. QB. San Francisco 49ers. 42
The Illinois native has Super Bowl experience
While the Eagles have fallen out of favor with Wentz, it seems to be the same sort of thing with Jimmy Garoppolo on the San Francisco 49ers. While health and decision-making have limited his overall success in the league, Garoppolo did quarterback San Francisco to Super Bowl 54 a season ago. He grew up in Rolling Meadows, IL before starring at Eastern Illinois.
Trading for Garoppolo would be like getting Trubisky at his apex, which is something Bears fans may not be all that interested in. However, Garoppolo has played his best ball in harsh northern climates. If he were to succeed quarterbacking the Bears, he would be a larger-than-life personality in the Windy City. It is as boom-or-bust as Wentz, but probably will not be as pricey.