The Chicago Bears made their first cut to the quarterback room of the summer, parting ways with veteran signal-caller Brett Rypien.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the news on Tuesday morning, August 27.
The #Bears released QB Brett Rypien, per source. The hall of fame game standout is vested and free to sign elsewhere immediately.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 27, 2024
“The #Bears released QB Brett Rypien, per source,” Pelissero posted to X. “The Hall of Fame Game standout is vested and free to sign elsewhere immediately.”
Rypien played most of the Bears’ snaps in the NFL preseason opener against the Houston Texans on August 1 in Canton, Ohio, completing 11-of-15 passes for 166 yards and 3 TDs. He was 13-of-19 for 169 yards over the following three games and glided through the preseason without an interception.
The four-year veteran began his career with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He also played a stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and was on the practice squads of the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets in the interim.
All told, Rypien is 2-2 as an NFL starter across 10 appearances. He has thrown for 950 yards, 4 TDs and 9 INTs over that span.
Bears QB Room Too Talented to Keep Brett Rypien on Roster
Despite his quality play this preseason, Rypien fell victim to a QB room in Chicago that was simply too talented, rendering his presence a redundancy.
Rookie and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will start the season opener against the Tennessee Titans on September 8 at Solider Field, while second-year signal-caller Tyson Bagent will serve as his backup.
Undrafted free agent Austin Reed could find a spot on the final 53-man roster coming later this week, though the Bears could also release him, then subsequently bring him back to the practice squad.
If Chicago keeps its current three signal-callers in-house, the team will have one of the youngest and least experienced QB rooms in the entire league, though also potentially one of the most talented.
Tyson Bagent Has Trade Value, but Likely Not on Move After Brett Rypien Cut
The Bears could likely get a solid return if they traded Bagent, which some talking heads around the league floated as a possibility while Rypien was still on the roster.
A late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick, somewhere in the fourth-to-sixth round range, might end up on the table from the right team, but that outcome is now highly unlikely considering Chicago’s roster moves Tuesday.
The argument for trading Bagent is that his stock is high at the moment and teams with major questions under center might be willing to pay a premium. Beyond that, the Bears have legitimate playoff aspirations after a second big offseason that included additions like Williams, rookie wideout Rome Odunze, and Pro Bowlers Keenan Allen (WR) and D’Andre Swift (RB).
If Williams is injured, Chicago might feel better about handing over the keys to its potentially high-octane offense to a veteran starter with postseason experience, such as Ryan Tannehill or the like. But that type of player will also be relatively expensive — Tannehill’s market value projection is nearly $8 million in 2024 — and may not ever see the field.
Should Williams suffer an injury, the Bears will likely add a QB via trade or free agency and may look toward a veteran in that spot. It appears now, though, that the team is content to head into a regular season full of expectations with Williams and Bagent as the one-two punch in its quarterback room.
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