Brad Kaaya is the quarterback of the long-term future for Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears will draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft. He won’t be the immediate man in charge, however. He will be a long-term project, and Brad Kaaya fits that bill.
This is a very interesting draft situation for the Chicago Bears. Everyone expects them to draft a quarterback to replace current QB1 Jay Cutler. Yes, they will choose a quarterback, but no, he won’t be the immediate man in charge. The quarterback chosen will be a long-term project. The one who fits that bill is Brad Kaaya.
Head coach John Fox needs wins. The quickest way to do that is through a veteran signal caller. They could go through free agency and get themselves a bridge to the next face of the franchise. Another option is keeping Cutler, but that depends on how he feels about having his replacement looking over his shoulder.
Kaaya started for the Miami Hurricanes since his true freshman season. In that freshman season, he completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 3,198 yards and 26 touchdowns. He won ACC Rookie of the Year honors. In his sophomore season, Kaaya threw for 3,238 yards. While his touchdown total fell to 16, his completion percentage went up to 61.2 percent. His junior season turned out to be his best. He completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,532 yards and 27 touchdowns.
In addition to improvements on his completion percentage each season, Kaaya protected the ball better. He threw 12 interceptions in his freshman season. That total equals his next two seasons combined (5 in his sophomore season and 7 as a junior). The Chicago Bears suffered through a lot of bad interceptions over the past few seasons, so having an accurate passer who protects the ball is a welcomed change.
As with many college players making the jump to the pros, Kaaya needs to bulk up a little. He measures 6-foot-4 and weighs 215 pounds. Unlike other players whose body frame and weight are at its limit, Kaaya’s frame still has room to fill out.
In his first two seasons, Kaaya spent his time coming out of the shotgun. When Mark Richt took over the program this season, he instituted a pro-style offense with Kaaya under center. That greatly helped him prepare for the next level.
Kaaya throws the football well. He has a fluid motion, and he has a good touch on downfield passes. Making all the NFL throws won’t be a problem for him.
Kaaya is your prototypical pocket passer. He rarely looks to run, and he stays in the pocket as long as possible, usually throwing the ball away and not tucking the ball and running. He spent a lot of time running for his life with the Hurricanes’ weak offensive line, but he only missed one game.
This season, he suffered a shoulder injury during the game against Florida State. He missed no games, however. The Canes lost that game and the next three, and Kaaya did not look the same. It could be that the injury was more serious than Miami let on. After that four-game losing streak, Kaaya led his team to a five-game winning streak, culminating with a win in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Brad Kaaya was the MVP of the game, and the Hurricanes finished 9-4, ranked 20th in the nation.
I look at Kaaya like an Alex Smith type quarterback. He won’t wow you with anything he does, but he is a solid player. He isn’t flashy, but he doesn’t make the boneheaded errors that drive coaches and fans crazy. Imagine if he gets to make pinpoint throws to Alshon Jeffery (if he re-signs with the Bears) and a healthy Kevin White.
The Bears spent a lot of time at Miami games, including two games in November. Some scouts have him going in the second or third round.
Next: Possible safety targets for the Bears
Picking Brad Kaaya up outside of the first round could be the best option for the Chicago Bears. He has a team-first attitude, and he is open to learning the position. He could take a redshirt season and then take over the offense.