3 reasons Alex Smith is everything the Bears need at QB in 2021

As the Chicago Bears pursue options at quarterback, here’s why Alex Smith is everything they need for 2021.

What was first reported to be coming on Monday is now official. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and others, the Washington Football Team has released quarterback Alex Smith. The soon-to-be 37-year old was not in the team’s plans, so the reigning Comeback Player of the Year will look to keep his career going elsewhere.

Smith went 5-1 as Washington’s starter last season, helping them to win the NFC East. That he was able to be back on the field at all was a remarkable story after a serious leg injury in 2018 that eventually required multiple surgeries to clean out infection.

Smith probably won’t find a clear path to a starting job on the free agent. But he will have some options, perhaps to compete for a starting job or at least be a valuable mentor to a young quarterback as a backup.

The Chicago Bears, with Mitch Trubisky a free agent and Nick Foles not the answer, will be in the market for a quarterbacks. Visions of a major move for Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson are mostly visions of grandeur that will go unrealized, though we should never say never.

Now that Smith is available officially, here’s why he’s all the Bears need under center in 2021.

Chicago Bears need to sign Alex Smith for 2021 season

3. The Defense Still Sets Up The Offense

The Bears defense is not elite at this point. But they were 14th in the league in point allowed and 11th in total yards allowed last year. Due in part to the unit still being pretty good (eighth in the league in third-down conversion rate allowed), the Bears’ offense had the seventh-best average drive start in the league (own 30.5 yard line, per Pro Football Reference). Chicago’s offense also had the second-worst third-down conversion rate in the league (34.6 percent).

A strong defense buoyed Washington through multiple quarterback in 2020. Smith takes care of the ball so well (five interceptions over 203 attempts in his six starts last season) that he has drawn criticism for not letting it loose downfield. But a proverbial caretaker is all the Bears need under center next season, in order to reverse a -4 turnover margin from 2020 and get the most out of their weapons (with or without Allen Robinson).