Chicago Bears fans are laser-focused on the 2026 NFL Draft, where they will have seven total picks, including three selections in the first two rounds. This remains the best avenue for the Bears to upgrade the roster for next season with the hopes of getting over the hump in the NFC. With only two days left before Round 1, there may be an opportunity for the Bears to add more draft capital to their coffers.
On Monday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Jimmy Garoppolo of the Los Angeles Rams is considering retirement. This opens up a big hole at backup quarterback for the Rams, and the Bears could take advantage.
Rams Could Emerge as a Tyson Bagent Suitor
Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent has been a popular name since the end of the season. Ryan Poles has previously revealed that there were teams in contact with the Bears regarding the 25-year-old quarterback. Those talks haven't gone anywhere due to the high price tag, but they may be revisited now if the Rams get desperate for a reliable QB2.
This would be a bittersweet trade opportunity for the Bears. The Rams knocked Chicago out in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs last season, and they are once again going to be in the way of the Bears' Super Bowl pursuit. The last thing the Bears would want to do is to help another NFC contender.
At the same time, if the Rams are left without a solid backup QB, they could overpay for Bagent, giving the Bears more ammo to upgrade the roster.
Earlier in the offseason, the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs had reported that the Bears were hoping for "a second-round pick or two picks equaling that value" to consider trading Bagent. Head coach Ben Johnson had called Bagent one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the league. The organization put their money where its mouth is when they signed Bagent to a two-year, $10 million extension last offseason.
So, the Bears clearly think very highly of Bagent despite the fact that he only has four starts under his belt. That is why it's hard to imagine that any team would be willing to give up a second-round pick for an unproven signal-caller like Bagent.
It's equally difficult to imagine that the Bears would turn down a third-round pick for Bagent, especially considering that they signed Case Keenum to a two-year extension in March.
The Cardinals and the Jets were considered as potential landing spots for Bagent earlier in the offseason, but now, the Rams may emerge as a more serious suitor than either of these teams. Whether anything will materialize remains to be seen.
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