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Chicago Bears Should Consider Giving David Fales A Shot

By Erik Lambert

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Sep 3, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback David Fales (12) reacts after a play during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Listen.  It’s understandable why Jimmy Clausen is the backup quarterback.  He’s the most experienced on the roster and was a former 2nd round draft pick out of a proven school at Notre Dame.  The credentials were there but thus far the production has not been.  Clausen is what he is at this point.  He’s a serviceable backup.

Thing is the Chicago Bears are not a team that needs a serviceable backup.  Teams that are still trying to make the playoffs need those.  What they need are clear answers to what they have on the roster.  Jay Cutler got his chance and was doing well, but as has become his streak of misfortune, he was injured.  Clausen is fiery and has moments of intrigue, but those are interspersed with stretches of flat-out bad.

His ceiling has been established.  The same cannot be said for second-year man David Fales.  For those who don’t remember, he was a 6th round pick of Chicago in the 2014 NFL draft.  Hailing from San Jose State, he enjoyed a productive career there including back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons.  The only other quarterback to do that in his class was Derek Carr.

Though he fell to the 6th round, he apparently attracted some notable followers including former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.  He wasn’t shy about expressing his intrigue with Fales.

"“I think he sees the field. I think he throws the ball downfield,” Harbaugh said. “A lot of quarterbacks are doing what they’re taught in their systems. He’s a guy that is an example of a quarterback who throws to the outside lanes. He throws the ball in the seams and gets it downfield and sees the field well. He’s got a real savviness about the position.”In CBSSports.com’s latest draft rankings, Fales is currently listed as the 10th best quarterback available. One of the knocks on Fales is his arm strength, but Harbaugh didn’t see that while watching him at the 49ers’ local Pro Day on Friday.“You see a very compact throwing motion, more compact than I saw during his career,” Harbaugh said. “But he was still throwing the ball 50-55 yards downfield, throwing the deep comebacks, the outside lanes like he threw in college. Easily, accurately and on a line. We talked a little after the workout. I don’t see any deficiencies that way.”"

Some would argue that if Harbaugh was so infatuated with Fales, why didn’t the 49ers take him?  Well keep in mind that this was around the time where a rift was being reported between him and GM Trent Baalke.  A rift that eventually led to the head coach leaving.  So it’s reasonable to assume the team would’ve resisted honing in on players Harbaugh liked.

Adding to this intrigue is how Fales seems to have progressed since last season.  A year ago he was like most rookies:  erratic, indecisive and raw.  This past August, despite battling an illness, he managed to return and shine in his lone appearance against Cleveland.  Some of his top throws of the night were actually against the Browns #1 defense too, including beauties like this.

Given where the Chicago Bears are at, in the midst of a roster overhaul and searching for long-term pieces, why not throw caution to the wind and give the 24-year old a shot?  Cutler won’t be back for weeks and Clausen, as we’ve established, is nothing more than a band aid.

Who knows.  It could end up working out more than they dreamed, and if anything else it will give them a complete picture of what they have at quarterback.

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