Entering his 4th season with the Bears, Tyson Bagent remains a steadfast presence. Ever since arriving from Shepard University in 2023, he’s been nothing but business, support, and hard work.
To this point in his career, Bagent has earned everything that has come his way, most notably the two-year $10 million deal he signed in 2025.
Still, with Caleb Williams being positioned as the long-term starter in Chicago, you can’t help but imagine that Bagent’s time with the Bears has an eventual expiration
date. In fact, with the current trend of former backups earning starting jobs (and big contracts) you have to imagine Bagent’s competitive spirit will lead him elsewhere sooner rather than later.
Which leads me to my question….
Will Tyson Bagent be the Bears QB2 for the entirety of the 2026 season?
The implication of this question is not about if Bagent is supplanted by Keenum or another QB as the primary backup for the Bears, but whether another team goes shopping for QB help midseason.
There are two primary scenarios where Bagent could plausibly be traded mid-season.
- A starting QB gets injured, and Bagent is brought in to keep the ship afloat.
- A team moves on from their starter and view Bagent as a potential long term option.
A midseason trade for a backup quarterback more often leans towards the first scenario, but there are some teams that may want a jump on bringing Bagent into their building before the season is over.
But first, let’s look at Bagent’s career so far.
- Bagent is the all-time passing leader in NCAA Division II history, posting 13,658 yards on a 69% completion percentage, and 123 TDs to 38 INTs.
- In the NFL he has started 4 games, going 2-2.
- He has passed for 917 yards on 66.4% completion, with 3 TDs to 6 INTs.
- All 6 of those INTs happened in his rookie year when filling in for the injured Justin Fields
- However, his best performance was in the 2025 preseason where he threw for 401 yards, 5 TDs, and 1 INT in three starts. This is where the chatter around his potential grew.
Beyond his statistics, Bagent is a known gym rat whose non-traditional conditioning techniques have captivated fans.
So, is he a good candidate to be traded? Considering he is one of the few backups that are still ascending, I think there is a very good chance he gets traded in 2026. Let’s look at some places that make sense.
Playoff Teams With Fragile QBs and Imperfect Backups
This first category is for teams that need to compete, have an established (and injury prone) QB1, but a poor QB2 option.
- Denver Broncos
- Bo Nix is recovering from a bad injury in the playoffs, while the Broncos are absolutely gearing for a deep playoff run. To this point in his career, Jared Stidham has underwhelmed. He has also been in the league long enough for us to know who he is.
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Justin Herbert doesn’t have a long injury history, but he has missed enough time to make you worried. He has fractured his left hand/wrist three times and injured his throwing shoulder three times. When you look at the now journeyman Trey Lance behind him, you wonder if a better backup is needed.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- While Baker Mayfield is known to be a tough guy willing to play through injuries, a report noted he played with a litany of ailments in 2025 including MCL and PCL injuries. Pair this with a below average backup in Jake Browning, and it’s very possible Bagent could be viewed as an option in Tampa.
Teams Looking to Improve QB1
- Arizona Cardinals
- While the Cardinals appear to be preparing themselves for a #1 overall pick, it’s possible that a talented core of Jeremiyah Love, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey McBride keep them from being at the top. In that scenario, it may be worth taking on a flyer with Bagent midseason to give them time to evaluate ahead of the draft.
- New York Jets
- The Jets have found their way back to Geno Smith, who looks like he might be near the end of an interesting career. While a player like Cade Klubnik is interesting, they may not want to throw him into the first if Smith proves to be done. Bringing in a vet, that still possesses a ceiling like Bagent could be a savvy move for the Jets.
Bagent has been a great teammate and backup for the Bears so far in his career, and I firmly believe a bigger opportunity exists right around the corner for him. I suspect the Bears will get enough calls this year to trade Bagent for a nice draft package.
