With plenty of focus on the Chicago Bears’ quarterback situation this offseason, the team has made a move at the position — albeit not the one that many were expecting.
Rather, the Bears announced on Wednesday that they have agreed to terms with veteran signal-caller Bretty Rypien on a one-year deal. The 27-year-old Rypien spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets during the 2023 season.
Chicago’s signing of Rypien comes amid an offseason in which many have questioned how the Bears will approach their quarterback position moving forward. Laying claim to the No. 1 overall pick, many have assumed that Chicago will select USC quarterback Caleb Williams and thus trade Justin Fields, who has been the Bears’ starter for the past three seasons.
But with league’s legal tampering period beginning on Monday, Chicago has yet to trade the Ohio State product, who has shown plenty of promise since being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. But regardless of whether the Bears take Williams or keep Fields, they now have a veteran signal-caller on their roster, as well has second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent, who appeared in five games (four starts) during his rookie campaign.
A three-time All-Mountain West selection at Boise State, Rypien went undrafted in 2019 and proceeded to spend four seasons of his NFL career with the Denver Broncos. Last year, he appeared in two games with the Rams (one start), completing 18 of his 38 pass attempts for 172 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.