Chicago Bears training camp 2021: 5 players to watch with QB situation up in the air
The Chicago Bears are certainly in for an interesting season. Matt Nagy finally has a quarterback to call his own and will spend the season handling the transition. How that pans out remains to be seen, but if there was ever a season for Bears fans to pay keen attention to, it's 2021.
Chicago Bears to keep an eye on
#1 - Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton is in for a stressful season. If Dalton fails to deliver, his job will likely be handed over to the new kid.
At the same time, Andy Dalton will have the pressure of mentoring Justin Fields. It will be interesting to see how close Justin Fields is to Dalton as the Chicago Bears' training camp ramps up in 2021.
#2 - Justin Fields
While Andy Dalton is likely to feel the walls closing in, Justin Fields is primed to step up. The season will likely end with him as the starter but training camp will indicate how long the transition could take. If he comes out swinging, the Chicago Bears could swap quarterbacks within the first month of the season. If he comes out a bit sluggish, Fields will have to warm the bench for a while.
#3 - Jimmy Graham
At one point, Jimmy Graham was one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Now expected to be a backup for the Chicago Bears, Jimmy Graham's 2021 training camp could be his last.
He will be 35 years of age this season. That said, he is coming off a season that saw him earn eight touchdowns and 50 catches for almost 500 yards. One to watch out for? If Jimmy Graham can show that he can maintain that level, he could be the next Antonio Gates as he enters his mid-to-late 30s.
#4 - Tarik Cohen
Tarik Cohen feels like a Kansas City Chief that was plucked from the roster and added to the Chicago Bears. Cohen is a quick scat back and was a big reason for Jordan Howard's exit because he showed Howard's inability to act as a catch back.
However, Cohen's future with the team could be murky, since he's coming off a season with 74 total yards.
#5 - Nick Foles
Nick Foles has been a national story at a couple of points in his career. It appears he is due for another coda as he's on the outside looking in.
The question is how long he will last before he lands with another team. Before his exit, it will be interesting to see how he stacks up against the new quarterbacks as an indication of how big of an upgrade the Chicago Bears paid for. Will Justin Fields and Andy Dalton outperform Nick Foles?