Chicago Bears Claim Former South Carolina Star QB

It was curious why the Chicago Bears didn’t try harder during the draft to add another young quarterback. Turns out Ryan Pace had alternative ideas.

He signed veteran Brian Hoyer in free agency, a heady move that gives the team much-needed experience at the backup position. He’s just 30-years old and just finished guiding the Houston Texans to the playoffs in 2015. It seems his goal now is to increase the competition on the back end of the depth chart, perhaps hoping to find a young arm whom they believe can be developed into Hoyer’s replacement or even an eventual starter once they’ve chosen to conclude their time with Jay Cutler.

They already have David Fales, the former 6^th round pick on the roster. He’s shown decent progress the past two years but has zero experience in actual games. So the Bears are finding another way to put some pressure on him. That’s by increasing his competition. Former Dalton quarterback Dalyn Williams was signed as an undrafted free agent. Now the team rounded out their 90-man roster by claiming former Cleveland Browns quarterback Connor Shaw off waivers.

It was a move made with the knowledge that Pace’s former team, the New Orleans Saints were intent on claiming him. So were the Seattle Seahawks. Both of those teams are playoff contenders with questions at the backup position. This move not only could serve to give the Bears more options on their own roster but serve to hinder, however slightly two teams they may be fighting for a postseason spot in a few months.

Shaw himself is an interesting case. On the surface he doesn’t look like much:  6’1”, 206 lbs and boasting a rather average arm in terms of strength. That didn’t seem to stop him at South Carolina though where he proved to be an efficient and effective player for the Gamecocks. During his final season, he threw for 2,447 yards and 24 touchdowns with just one interception. He also showcasing some mobility by running for an additional 558 yards and six touchdowns.

On top of that he seemed to play his best in big games. In the 2012 Outback Bowl against Michigan, he passed for 224 yards, ran for 96 and threw two touchdowns. A year later in the Capital One Bowl against Wisconsin, he threw for 312 yards and three touchdown, ran for 47 and a touchdown and even caught a nine-yard pass for another touchdown. South Carolina won both games.

Teammates speak glowingly of his poise and leadership in the huddle. Draft experts all noted his intense work ethic and preparation. That is exactly the kind of person a team wants as their backup. Somebody who is always prepared and has the voice necessary to lead men. It won’t always appear so, but if Connor Shaw ends up making the roster, this could be one of the better decisions the Chicago Bears have made.