Is Chase Daniel cause for concern?

[soulman]

Is Chase Daniel cause for concern?

 

https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2019/08/27/is-bears-backup-quarterback-situation-cause-for-concern/

By: Alyssa Barbieri | 6 hours ago

The Bears historically haven’t had much luck at the quarterback position, as evidenced by the last 100 years.

Chicago hopes they’ve found a franchise quarterback in Mitch Trubisky, who’s entering his third season with plenty of expectations.

And while a lot of the conversation has surrounded Trubisky and his growth in year three, there’s another quarterback discussion happening around the Bears — the backup quarterback situation.

NFL analyst Phil Simms believes that the Bears have one of the worst backup quarterback situations in the NFL, with Chase Daniel.

“I saw him play those two games last year, especially outdoors, you have to worry a lot,” Simms said of Daniel. “You have a Super Bowl team, and if you have to go on the road… or in Chicago or anywhere else, I think the situation is not perfect. He’s going to struggle, it’s plain and simple.”

When Mitch Trubisky missed two games with a shoulder injury last season, Daniel proved to be a capable backup against the Lions on Thanksgiving. But the following week he didn’t look like he belonged out on the field in a road loss to the Giants.

It’s been much of the same in preseason, which is worrisome with Daniel going up against starters or even backups. His preseason performance hasn’t been encouraging, which isn’t what you want out of your backup quarterback when your team has the talent to be a title contender.

What does Bears coach Matt Nagy make of Daniel’s struggles?

“I guess I’m probably a little biased because I know Chase better than anybody — better than anybody,” Nagy said Monday, via NBC Sports Chicago. “I know Chase. It’s not an easy deal that he gets put into every preseason. That’s part of being a backup. You’re the favorite when you get put in in some situations during the season, but in these situations everyone expects you to be the best ever.

“For me, he’s a coach out there on the field. He gets so many things that people don’t see. He gets people aligned in the huddle the right way, he’s looking at the play clock, he makes things a lot easier for you as a coach than a lot of other different quarterbacks in that spot.”

And while that’s all fine and dandy, Daniel’s not an offensive coach. He’s a player that happens to have been tasked with mentoring Trubisky.

But at the end of the day, the Bears need someone reliable as their backup quarterback should the unthinkable happen.

With the Bears being a legitimate contender this season, depth has certainly been a concern in some areas, namely at backup quarterback.

[soulman]

In my mind I'd have to say yes but it's not based so much on how he's looked in preseason playing with scrubs and 2nd stringers.

It's more that as a player he's nowhere near a replica of Mitch.  He has no mobility and his arm is average at best so deep throws aren't much of a threat making him easier to defend and timing on his shorter throws is critical yet when does he have an opportunity to work on that with the starters.

I know why he was brought in to help Mitch learn the offense but the author lays it out there in black and white for all to judge.  Mentoring Mitch cannot replace the need for him to be a high caliber replacement should Mitch go down with and injury and it's very hard to feel comfortable with him in that role.

Bray may have looked better at times but he's was playing against lesser competition and against anyone's 1st string I have serious doubts about him as well.  If he's never gonna be more than a camp and PS arm I'm somewhat shocked Pace didn't seek another QB or two to compete with him.

Granted we've lacked the draft choices to pursue a younger QB with a higher ceiling choosing instead to fill other more immediate needs but it doesn't appear to be something that can be put off yet another year.  Chase Daniel has been far too expensive for whatever benefit we've gotten from him as a player and Bray continues to be far too suspect to believe he'd be any better as a #2.

Competent backups are not easy to come by but IMHO it's the next position Pace must upgrade in the offseason.

[Sugashane]

I am pretty much one of his biggest critics on the subforum, but I can give him a bit of leeway. We are sitting all our starters and a number of our reserves. Our OTs have been trash (OL overall has been bad but IOL has been vastly superior to the OTs), and other teams like NYG have been putting a lot of starters and work into the game while the Bears have been playing safe and general. He has absolutely been at a disadvantage.

 

That being said he has not been good even with those being taken into consideration. I can't say how much has been due to what is around him but some things he should have ingrained by now. He has to know the talent around him is lacking, so he has to speed the clock up. He hasn't shown he will do that yet. He has to hit the easy throws, he has to be able to adjust (I'm only assuming he can hot route, but if Tru can IDK why he wouldn't be able to, he has been with Nagy for 6 years now). Get the ball to guys, and let the Bears staff evaluate them. IDC if he is throwing 50/50 balls that get INTs, give them a shot, its better than taking a sack on 3rd down in the preseason. Well, unless you're in FG range, but if not then throw that sh*t up!

 

I definitely want to see us go after a younger QB who has   mobility to develop. I wanted a few guys like Lauletta to at least allow the playcaling to be really similar when Mitch is out. I understand them keeping the two reserves though, but soon it will need to be a place they invest IMO.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Sugashane

[blkwdw13]

I think he is good as the mentoring role for Trubisky, but this should be his last season and the Bears need some one better going forward.

[Heinz D.]

No. 

[WindyCity]

Good backups go .500 in relief.

He did.

I don’t care about the preseason.

[pigsooie5]

I think the lack of depth along the OL is the real concern here. No way I resign Daniel in the offseason though

Edited August 27, 2019 by pigsooie5

[soulman]

6 hours ago, WindyCity said:

Good backups go .500 in relief.

He did.

I don’t care about the preseason.

To date but that .500 record was against two pretty mediocre teams and he was not what I'd call sharp in either game.  How will he perform against better teams with better defenses?

I could make that same argument but I can also make another that asks can he win that big game for all the chips against a division rival if needed? I don't feel comfortable that he can.

Edited August 28, 2019 by soulman

[Sugashane]

2 hours ago, soulman said:

To date but that .500 record was against two pretty mediocre teams and he was not what I'd call sharp in either game.  How will he perform against better teams with better defenses?

I could make that same argument but I can also make another that asks can he win that big game for all the chips against a division rival if needed? I don't feel comfortable that he can.

Leave the quote alone. The idea that Stafford and Cousins aren't good back ups makes me laugh.

Yes, I am ignoring that it is a blatant straw man fallacy. It makes me laugh dammit.

[WindyCity]

7 hours ago, soulman said:

To date but that .500 record was against two pretty mediocre teams and he was not what I'd call sharp in either game.  How will he perform against better teams with better defenses?

I could make that same argument but I can also make another that asks can he win that big game for all the chips against a division rival if needed? I don't feel comfortable that he can.

What backups can?

The truth is that most backups outside of maybe Teddy Bridgewater, which is a unique situation, aren’t winning a big divisional game.

There aren’t 32 good QBs in the league, let alone any number of capable backups.

[AZBearsFan]

Chase is fine for his role IMO. Not only is he playing without any of the starters or key reserves around him but he’s also running a version of our offense in these preseason games without any of the nuance to it that makes it particularly effective in that we are using no misdirection, little to no motion and only simple passing concepts. IMO the struggles we are seeing need to be taken with a MASSIVE grain of salt. He’s not a guy anyone wants starting important games or for any long stretch by any means (otherwise he’d be starting elsewhere and not a career backup), but he’s not being set up for optimal return in the ways he would be during a real game either. 

I do think this will be his last season here though. Next year will be year 3 for Mitch in the system and by then he shouldn’t need a $5M tutor. That money can go toward a position more likely to see the field IMO. 

[soulman]

1 hour ago, WindyCity said:

What backups can?

The truth is that most backups outside of maybe Teddy Bridgewater, which is a unique situation, aren’t winning a big divisional game.

There aren’t 32 good QBs in the league, let alone any number of capable backups.

Nick Foles which is why Philly won a Super Bowl.

Am I suggesting we need a #2 as good as Foles was?  You're damn right I am. 

Edited August 28, 2019 by soulman

[soulman]

40 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

Chase is fine for his role IMO. Not only is he playing without any of the starters or key reserves around him but he’s also running a version of our offense in these preseason games without any of the nuance to it that makes it particularly effective in that we are using no misdirection, little to no motion and only simple passing concepts. IMO the struggles we are seeing need to be taken with a MASSIVE grain of salt. He’s not a guy anyone wants starting important games or for any long stretch by any means (otherwise he’d be starting elsewhere and not a career backup), but he’s not being set up for optimal return in the ways he would be during a real game either. 

I do think this will be his last season here though. Next year will be year 3 for Mitch in the system and by then he shouldn’t need a $5M tutor. That money can go toward a position more likely to see the field IMO. 

Which hit upon the two main points I also hit on.

He's not a guy who I'd be comfortable with as a starter over multiple games should Mitch be lost to injury for more than a game or two and due to concussion protocols which can keep a player out for an extended period that risk will be there.

Then paying a backup QB $5 mil means to me that guy should be able to step in and at least keep the team competitive even against it's toughest opponents and beat the others.  I'm also not comfortable thinking Daniel can do that if required to. 

So......if I'm wrong then he can prove me wrong but until then my comfort level with him starting is not very high.

[Ty21]

Oh, I am incredibly comfortable and confident having Chase Daniel as our backup qb, but only if he never actually plays a down on the field. 

[AZBearsFan]

2 minutes ago, soulman said:

Which hit upon the two main points I also hit on.

He's not a guy who I'd be comfortable with as a starter over multiple games should Mitch be lost to injury for more than a game or two and due to concussion protocols which can keep a player out for an extended period that risk will be there.

Then paying a backup QB $5 mil means to me that guy should be able to step in and at least keep the team competitive even against it's toughest opponents and beat the others.  I'm also not comfortable thinking Daniel can do that if required to. 

So......if I'm wrong then he can prove me wrong but until then my comfort level with him starting is not very high.

I think Daniel’s ability to keep us competitive against top opponents if forced into action in 2019 will find its foundation in the effectiveness of our revamped running game. Last year when forced in he was playing with a limited primary RB which limited Nagy’s ability to help him out in a lot of ways. If Montgomery is what is being billed from HH that changes a whole lot IMO.