2 weeks Ago By Kole Noble, A to Z Sports
On Wednesday, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles subtly revealed some important news during an exclusive interview with Hoge & Jahns at the NFL League Meetings. The Bears were in the market for a veteran addition to the quarterback room. Something the team neglected doing during the 2024 season after drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.
Instead, the Bears went into the 2024 season with two former undrafted quarterbacks, Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed, behind the first overall pick on the depth chart. It was an interesting decision, but one that ultimately didn't matter. Williams started all 17 games during his rookie campaign despite all the disorder around him.
With new head coach Ben Johnson coming into Chicago, the Bears decided they wanted to take a different approach with the quarterback room, but wanted to be particular about the addition. And it didn't take long to decide on which veteran arm to bring in. Bears Sign QB Case Keenum According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , the Bears signed veteran quarterback Case Keenum on Thursday evening, finally giving Williams a mentor in the locker room.
Veteran QB Case Keenum is signing a one-year deal worth up to $3 million with the Chicago Bears, per source. Keenum now will help mentor Caleb Williams in Chicago like he did for CJ Stroud in Houston. pic.
twitter.com/4wDG8s3RRT This is a great addition for a number of reasons. First, Keenum is the perfect man to add to the room as a leader and mentor for Williams and the other QBs.
It's a role he recently took pride in while playing with the Houston Texans behind C.J. Stroud.
"It’s a blessing," Stroud said back in 2023. “It’s being something that I definitely knew that I needed it. Just that guidance and confidence.
.." That guidance and confidence is now something Keenum will bring to an already close quarterback room, and Poles wanted to make sure that the team added someone who wouldn't disrupt the chemistry at the position.
Beyond that, the Bears needed a reliable and experienced backup who could play in a pinch if anything were to happen to Williams. Bagent has been serviceable in that area, but the team needed someone who brought more experience to the table. Keenum definitely fits that mold after spending over a decade in the NFL with various different teams and offensive schemes.
And he stepped up in a big way back in 2023 filling in after Stroud suffered a concussion. “The thing that’s helped Case [Keenum] the most I think is experience," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said back in 2023 . "When you’ve played the position for such a long time, you have to have that experience.
But it’s also that experience that gives you confidence. When you’ve done it multiple times, you’ve seen multiple defenses and how teams try to attack you, nothing should shock Case." This is a major addition to the Bears offense, even if it might not show up on paper.
Having a guy like Keenum who's done it for years and played at a high level in Williams corner will do wonders for his development in 2025. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission..
