Prior to the 16-game season era, Joe Namath was the only QB in pro football history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

At the conclusion of the 16-game season era, the Chicago Bears and… the New York Jets were the only teams to not have a 4,000-yard passer from ’78 to ’20.

— Football Perspective (@fbgchase) March 28, 2021

We assumed the Russell Wilson trade saga was over..

No, no, no.. #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/6TPZQKknQS

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 25, 2021

The #Bears have agreed to terms on a 1-year deal with former Super Bowl hero RB Damien Williams, source said. Lots of familiarity, as he knows Matt Nagy’s offense from KC, and he was OC Bill Lazor with the #Dolphins.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2021

Barring a blockbuster QB trade, it’s unlikely much will happen around the Bears – with the exception of the schedule release – before the NFL Draft. So here are some links.

• There have been various articles detailing the salary cap situation facing the Chicago Bears, but Data’s Twitter thread on the situation is certainly the most negative I’ve seen. Here’s the thing about the Bears and the cap: it actually doesn’t matter. This franchise will continue to tread water – with cap space or without – until they settle the quarterback position.
• Think the Dolphins are the landing spot for Deshaun Watson? Well articles are now starting to appear locally urging Miami to wait until Watson’s legal woes are resolved. Watson is going to play in the league again. He’s going to play well in the league. And he’s not going to do that for the Houston Texans. The Bears should stay in this conversation.
• Mock drafts are now projecting Mac Jones falling to the Bears at 20, per this piece from BearsWire, which includes a quote from mocker Doug Farrar. “Why would be drop to 20? Because the modern NFL requires quarterbacks to display mobility and second-reaction ability, and Jones has not shown much of that at all. But he’s a great pocket mover (the combination of liability and asset is why so many mock him to the Patriots), and perhaps he can be developed into a league-average mover on boots and scramble drills. From Day 1, though, he’s an improvement over what the Bears are hauling out there at the position.”
• ACTUAL BEAR NEWS. China has now opened a “Polar Bear Hotel”. It is completely booked for the foreseeable future but animal rights activists are not pleased. (Honestly, I’m surprised animal rights activists still monitor China.)
• Adam Hoge thinks the ceiling for Andy Dalton 2021 is Alex Smith 2017 and his excellent piece for NBC Sports details that comparison.

Sources who said Akiem Hicks was available are now indicating he's likely back with the #Bears. They have a major hole to fill at CB but would keep the front 7 of the defense in place. Certainly has been a fluid start to the new league year for the team.

— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 20, 2021

Good morning twitter.

Choosing to be positive isn’t really a choice. pic.twitter.com/T8axqFfplY

— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) March 21, 2021

OKyle Fuller is a cap casualty as the Bears release the All-Pro cornerback

— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) March 18, 2021

This is one of the more bizarre off-seasons in Bears history.

It began with a year-end presser that sent Chicago sports radio into a tizzy and made the word “collaboration” a punchline. (The reaction to this presser was quintessential Chicago media. I’ve never heard so much unwarranted weeping into handkerchiefs.)

It then became about two star quarterbacks on the market: Deshaun Watson and Russell Willson. The excitement around the former has been muted by his evil organization’s reluctance to answer their landlines and the lawsuits now developing around the quarterback. (If you don’t think Watson’s legal troubles originate inside the Texans, you’re not paying attention. These are bad people.)

The excitement around the latter came to a crashing halt on Tuesday, with the Seahawks balking at a deal that had been negotiated for weeks and Andy Dalton signing in Chicago.

But is the Wilson deal dead? Adam Schefter sure doesn’t think so and any conversation about how the Bears need to approach quarterback between now and opening day starts with that question.

It seemed that the #Bears signing Andy Dalton meant that the #Seahawks won’t trade Russell Wilson.@AdamSchefter says he might still be traded

“I don’t think it’s done, no. I don’t think I’m ready to say Russell Wilson is a Seahawk, will be a Seahawk.”pic.twitter.com/cI3r6vUCK3

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 17, 2021

Until the Seahawks and Wilson make a public commitment to each other and the 2021 season, such a commitment does not exist. What we know:

• Russell Wilson doesn’t want to be on the Seahawks any longer.
• GM John Schneider was willing to let the quarterback leave.
• Head coach Pete Carroll was not.

The Bears should keep calling, and keep increasing their offer, until that commitment is made or until the weekend of the draft.  At the same time, the team should not lose sight of Watson.

Read More …

Getting whatever you can for them right now is the smart move, but “smart” and “what’s best for the people in charge” are two different things. https://t.co/TYVWbvV0Il

— Matt Clapp (@DaBearNecess) March 18, 2021

Andy Dalton isn’t any good.

He’s pitched a quarterback rating over 90 twice is his entire NFL career.

He doesn’t throw enough touchdown passes. He throws too many interceptions.

He’s a more-than-capable backup in the league and probably could fill a role like that for years to come. But the Bears are giving him $10 million. (And they hope more!) That’s not what you pay a backup. That’s what you pay a quarterback you’ve identified as your starter of choice.

Ryan Pace and the club made a valiant attempt to acquire Russell Wilson, offering what Ian Rapoport referred to as “a lot” for one of the game’s best players. As someone close to the organization said to me, “Pace and the Seahawks were speaking almost daily for a month.” In the end Seattle decided they were not ready to rebuild. Pete Carroll decided not to relinquish his most lethal weapon because, quite frankly, he’s getting too old for this shit.

So the Bears, with an old white statue of a quarterback currently on the roster at double-digit millions, decided to add another. One has to assume Nick Foles will not be on this roster come September but based on how this leadership has handled the quarterback position, how can one assume anything?

Instead all attention will now turn the draft next month where the GM who has done nothing but get the quarterback spot wrong will get another opportunity.

Oh, and say the Bears trade up for Trey Lance. Does anyone think Lance is gonna play a down as a rookie? What would this mean for Pace/Nagy? Would they still have pressure to win in 2021 after being responsible for choosing for the QB for 2022 and beyond?

This is a bleak moment for the franchise.

Angela’s Ashes bleak.

Never have the Bears faithful on social media seemed so unanimously convinced the coming season was hopeless. The organization’s fatal flaw in 2019 and 2020 was the quarterback position. Today, it’s impossible to argue they’ve improved it.