The Chicago Bears already have a quarterback for the future. Caleb Williams is a superstar in the making, and whoever is also on the roster will have to settle for the hope of playing in garbage time or the final week of the regular season.
That's why they need to make the most of Tyson Bagent's trade buzz. According to sports radio talk show host John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, the Arizona Cardinals might want to make a run at the Bears' QB2 this offseason.
"Have heard the Cardinals are intrigued by Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent. He has one year left on his deal, so would have to trade for him," Gambadoro wrote on Tuesday morning. It's a surprising development, given that it was only in August when the Bears extended Bagent on a two-year, $10 million deal.
But as great as it is to have a reliable QB2 like Bagent around, the growing trade buzz might be too much for the Bears to ignore, leaving them with an intriguing offseason decision to make.
Tyson Bagent Trade Could Be on the Bears' Offseason Radar
Teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers have shown why having a high-end backup quarterback can save a team's season. As such, it's not much of a surprise to see Bagent being a potential trade target.
As for the Cardinals' case in particular, there's too much uncertainty at the position. Kyler Murray will most likely be on his way out, even with Mike LaFleur taking the reins of the team as their new head coach. With free agency and the 2026 NFL draft lacking high-potential arms, it makes sense why the Cardinals might givea call to Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
After all, Bagent has gone 2-2 in his four career starts. He's completed 66.4% of his passes for 917 yards, three touchdowns, without any interceptions. He also has 31 carries for 109 yards and a couple of touchdowns, showcasing that he isn't afraid to use his feet if need be.
Bagent may not be a superstar by any means, but if he hopes to be a starter one day, that won't happen in Chicago as long as Williams is atop the pecking order. That's why, despite how much he might love being with the Bears, an offseason trade might be in Bagent's best interest. It'll also be beneficial for the team if a mid-round pick can be nabbed in return.
Additionally, a pre-June 1 trade would create over $3.7 million in cap savings for the Bears, per Spotrac. Considering that OverTheCap already has Chicago at $5.3 million over the cap, it goes without saying that any financial help would be huge.
Of course, letting Bagent go would leave the Bears scrambling for a quarterback, but finding a serviceable veteran backup who can mentor Williams and join head coach Ben Johnson's offensive system shouldn't be a tall order.
The Bears will have six draft picks in the 2026 NFL draft, as well as the offseason to bring veteran arms in for a QB2 competition. All of this adds up to why Chicago can't ignore a potential Bagent-related trade this offseason, even if a decent number of fans would be sad to see him go.