Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent ready for Year 2 after ‘grinding my absolute face off’

Bagent will not play much this season—ideally, No. 1 choice Caleb Williams will take over as the starter

right away—but he may still have an impact. His mind raced last season as a rookie from Division II

Shepherd University listening to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and quarterback Justin Fields trade

concepts.

“Man, am I ever going to be able to engage and contribute in these conversations?” I would think to

myself as I sat there. Bagent stated on Friday. “Coming in this year and basing everything off my

experience from last year has been a great weight lifted off my shoulders… I have come a long way in

terms of becoming a resource.

There is not much experience in the quarterback room under new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

The senior member, 28-year-old Brett Rypien, has made just four career starts, exactly like Bagent.

Austin Reed, a rookie free agent from Western Kentucky, was also selected by the Bears.

When Fields injured his thumb last season, Bagent participated in five games. He averaged 171.8 yards

per game with a 71.4 passer rating, completed 65.7% of his passes, and threw six interceptions in

addition to three touchdown passes.

Bagent did not consider that the Bears would be better off adding an experienced veteran to serve as

Williams’ backup and assist guide him.

“In the offseason, I was too preoccupied with grinding my face off,” he remarked. However, it is

satisfying to be aware that they think highly of me and that they enjoyed what I accomplished last year.

And maybe they were able to observe the progress I made over the off-season.

Bagent and Williams also hit it off right on, laughing aside early press depictions of Bagent as needy.

“Everything that has been reported about him by the media is wholly untrue,” stated Bagent. He is been

a really nice guy in the weight room. The only things that really matter to me are his terrific personality

and his hard work.