Everything is working against Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent as he heads into his first start as an undrafted rookie on a floundering team.
None of that seems to bother him.
Bagent, a 23-year-old who made the team out of Division II Shepherd University, was poised and energized as he commanded the room while taking Justin Fields’ spot for the weekly starting quarterback new conference Wednesday. He looked comfortable answering any question, whether regarding his unlikely path to the pros or the ugly, underthrown interception he threw in his debut.
While everyone has marveled at his rise from a tiny town in West Virginia and a small school, Bagent isn’t surprised to be stepping in as an NFL starting quarterback.
“Oddly, I always thought it was gonna happen,” he said. “Me and my dad really were the only ones that thought that this was gonna happen. After that, it was just figuring out how I could outwork everybody that maybe had more [resources] than I did... It was really just trying to get it out of the mud, putting a lot of work in the shadow and just so I’d be ready for this week.”
This week, he’s facing the Raiders. And while they’re merely an average opponent at this level, taking them on at Soldier Field on Sunday presents a far more difficult challenge than playing in some preseason games or any game he played at Shepherd.
As Fields recovers from a dislocated thumb that is sure to keep him out this week and could lead to an extended absence, this is Bagent’s show. And he acted like it Wednesday.
Bagent was certain he was ready for the job, and there were signs of that mixed into a rough debut when he came in for Fields in the third quarter last week against the Vikings. He made some strong throws, threw a pick and lost a fumble that turned into a scoop-and-score touchdown, but he completed 10 of 14 passes for 78 yards and didn’t seem panicked.
He didn’t flinch when the Bears told him to warm up. He immediately reassured the coaches that they didn’t need to cut down the game plan for him, saying, “I know the whole call sheet, so don’t be afraid to do your thing, call your plays. Don’t hinder the offense just because I’m going in there. I’ve prepared for this all week.”
Regardless of how it goes with Bagent, it’s good that the Bears are at least trying to develop a young backup quarterback. That’s something they should do every year. The best structure would be a starter, followed by a viable veteran — the Bears whiffed on that part this season — and a prospect with high potential.
The last several years, there’s been no intriguing candidate that anyone had any interest in seeing. There was no upside with Nick Foles, Trevor Siemian or Nathan Peterman.
Peterman is still around. He opened the season as Fields’ backup before Bagent overtook him in Week 4. With Fields out, Peterman will be the No. 2 quarterback Sunday, and the Bears could promote Trace McSorley from the practice squad to be their emergency third quarterback.
