Caleb Williams has the QB1 job locked up, but there’s competition for the QB2 job after the Chicago Bears’ first preseason game on Thursday night. Veteran quarterback Brett Rypien had a solid debut in a Bears uniform in the team’s 21-17 win over the Houston Texans. He was asked about a potential quarterback battle brewing for the QB2 spot.
Tyson Bagent went 2/3 passing
Tyson Bagent didn’t do poorly either at the start. He went 2/3 passing for 16 yards, as the Bears mostly kept it on the ground when he was in the game. The Bears only used him for the opening drive before giving the keys to Rypien to lead the team in sloppy playing conditions in Canton.
Rypien, the quarterback most familiar with Shane Waldron’s offense on the Bears roster, took advantage of the opportunity. He went 11/15 passing for 166 yards and three touchdowns. The performance had many Bears fans thinking he might be the best option to be Williams’ backup. However, one has to remember Rypien was playing against players deep on the Texans’ depth chart.
Brett Rypien downplays a QB2 battle
According to Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune, Rypien doesn’t think he showed enough Thursday night to warrant an actual quarterback battle for the backup job:
Does Rypien, who has bounced between the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets last season see a competition brewing behind Williams for the No. 2 spot?
“I don’t,” he said. “I just focus on what I can control every single day. I love working with these guys. Tyson, Caleb and Austin (Reed) have been awesome. It’s weird being the oldest guy in the room.”
Rypien has a ‘shot’ at Chicago Bears QB2 job
Biggs thinks Rypien played well enough that he will get a “shot” to fight the QB2 job in the preseason. However, the veteran backup has plenty of baggage and a 4-9 career touchdown-to-interception ratio. Biggs noted that Rypien was motivated to have a great game against the Texans after his last start:
It was a good step for Rypien, who last started for the Rams in Week 9 last season in a 20-3 loss at Green Bay. He passed for 130 yards and was intercepted once.
“This one meant a lot to me,” said. “I had a bad taste in my mouth all offseason after my last start in Green Bay (last Nov. 5). I didn’t know how this season would go, didn’t know if I’d get a chance to compete for anything.”
Rypien and Bagent have three more preseason games to show how consistent they can be in Waldron’s offense this year. Based on Thursday night, Bagent won’t fall down the depth chart, but he will have to keep his guard up this week.
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