Griese deal makes Chicago’s QB situation even murkier

By J.E.  |   Monday, March 27, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Chicago Bears
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Last week, the Chicago Bears signed free agent quarterback Brian Griese -- most recently of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- to a five-year contract that could be worth up to $20 million after factoring in incentives. While Bears GM Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith both have gone on record stating that Griese was brought in to be Rex Grossman's backup, the quarterback situation doesn't appear to be as clear-cut as that.

Grossman was selected in the first round of the 2003 draft with the hopes that he would be Chicago's quarterback of the future. But after three years in the Windy City, there are more questions surrounding Grossman's abilities than answers. Due to his well-publicized string of serious injuries -- a trend that has led some critics to derisively shorten his first name to "Rx" -- Grossman hasn't spent enough time on the field to allow the coaching staff to adequately evaluate his development. He has never appeared in more than 3 games in a season, nor has he ever attempted more than 85 passes in a season. So at this point the Bears just can't say for sure whether the 25-year-old is a bust or not.

Grossman is entering the final year of his contract with Chicago, and it's pretty clear that the 2006 campaign will be do-or-die for him. If Grossman has an outstanding year, or at least shows that he has the potential to be a starter for many seasons to come, then the Bears will obviously try to re-sign him. But if he falters on the field or sustains yet another injury, he will likely be looking for a new job at this time next year.

Here's where things get tricky for the Bears. How long should Smith stick with Grossman now that he has Griese on the sidelines? Griese has started 72 games in his 8-year career and has thrown for 16,344 yards and 103 touchdowns in that span. Provided that he makes a full recovery from the knee operation he had last October, Griese's experience and skill level make him a better option than Grossman as the Bears' starter. At the same time, however, Griese's age pretty much prevents him from being a long-term answer for the team. He's basically here as a stopgap, which makes it difficult to determine how big of a role he should be given, especially since any playing time for Griese would cut into Grossman's development.

Grossman is essentially a rookie in terms of experience. As a result, some will argue that Smith should let Grossman play through any mistakes he might make this season because that goes with the territory of learning the game. But you can bet that if the Bears hit a bit of a losing streak, there will be a lot of pressure on Smith to give his $20 million backup a chance to take over.

Overall, the Griese deal gives the Chicago Bears some extra security going into the next few seasons and was a smart move in that respect. But after all is said and done, Chicago's future is still in Grossman's hands -- at least for the time being.
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