The Bears have reportedly cut quarterback Nathan Peterman. The move– paired with Sunday’s decision to part ways with P.J. Walker– paves the way for UDFA preseason phenom Tyson Bagent to take over as the team’s QB2 behind Justin Fields.
Bagent spent the early portions of the offseason working as the team’s fourth quarterback, but as the summer went on he earned more and more reps. He really captured everyone’s attention in the second preseason game however, when he completed 9-10 passes for 76 yards and ran for a touchdown. In the preseason finale, the Bears made Bagent QB2 as they completed their evaluation of him.
Peterman joined the Bears in the 2022 offseason and spent the beginning of the year on the practice squad. He saw a little bit of action in relief of Fields in Weeks 14 and 15, then drew a start in Week 18 to close out the season. Over the three games he played, Peterman completed 14-25 passes for 139 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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The Bears like what Peterman adds to the quarterback room in terms of his knowledge of the game and mentorship. He could be a candidate to return to the practice squad.
The Bears could still decide to bring in another veteran QB, like Colt McCoy who was reportedly cut by the Cardinals on Monday. When asked about that option, head coach Matt Eberflus said it was a "good thought."
"We are certainly looking at that option," Eberflus said. "We are looking at other options too. But that’s certainly a good thought, when you can have somebody with experience in there to help younger quarterbacks. It’s certainly something that we’ve talked about.
As of now, however, it appears the Bears are ready to move forward with Bagent as the team’s primary backup.
