Tyson Bagent Could Allow Ryan Poles to Acquire a much-needed day three draft selection

The 2025 NFL Draft is underway as the Chicago Bears utilized the tenth overall selection to take Michigan tight end Colston Loveland to the surprise of many, with more picks left to use both Friday and Saturday. Despite having three picks in the second and third round, the Bears unfortunately have only two selections from the fourth round on due to multiple trades made by general manager Ryan Poles. With only a fifth round and seventh round picks to use on Saturday, Poles could be forced to trade someone from the roster if he wants to gain one or two more picks, with backup quarterback Tyson Bagent being a valuable trade chip.

Tyson Bagent has garnered enough trade value over the last year that needs to be capitalized on

The Bears signed Bagent as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft, as the Division II quarterback was expected to be a training camp depth piece. To the surprise of many, Tyson Bagent would have such a stellar training camp and preseason campaign that it resulted in him becoming the backup signal-caller for Chicago behind starter Justin Fields. The quarterback from Division II Shepherd college would even start four games due to a Fields injury, compiling a 2-2 record to the surprise fans and NFL analysts.

Following the 2023 season, Tyson Bagent would follow up a surprising rookie campaign with another stellar preseason in a new offense under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in 2024. What was really impressive was the improvement of Bagent’s arm strength, as he made several tight window and deep attempt completions in the three 2024 preseason games. During his rookie campaign, the undrafted quarterback’s arm strength was a glaring weakness as the Bears’ offense used a short-passing attack to hide the weakness.

The increased arm strength pair with a second consecutive strong preseason where Bagent demonstrated command of a new offense led to trade rumors, as he became attractive to teams that needed to shore up their quarterback position before the start of the 2024 season. Although Poles refrained from trading his second-year backup quarterback despite there being interest, trade possibilities have now again become a possibility during draft weekend. Unlike last year, Tyson Bagent became an expendable asset for Chicago once the team signed veteran backup Case Keenum last month.

On the first night of the 2025 NFL Draft only two quarterbacks were drafted with two more expected to be drafted in the second round on Friday night. Despite teams addressing their signal-caller needs via the draft, there will still be several franchises that don’t have a long-term solution at the position. Teams like the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New York Jets could be interested in trading for Tyson Bagent, as he is an affordable option. Even teams that have solid starting quarterbacks could be intrigued in providing insurance to their backup signal-caller position, in case their starter suffers a significant injury.

Poles and the Bears could be in a position to trade Bagent either late Friday night or early Saturday depending on how the rest of the 2025 draft unfolds. If Chicago’s front office finds that there is a prospect available that they deem as a can’t pass up talent, especially in the fifth or sixth round, they could look to trade Tyson Bagent for a late round pick. The value of a draft selection in return for the Bears’ backup quarterback could be increased if Poles is able to generate interest from multiple teams.

Tyson Bagent’s value is increased with the quarterback needy teams in the draft

With only two picks in the last four rounds of this year’s draft, Poles could look to try to add one more pick by trading Bagent, especially with how the general manager has operated during the draft in years past. Chicago’s GM has conducted several trades on the third day of the draft the last few years, including trading back into last year’s draft to select defensive end Austin Booker in the fifth round. With the Bears still looking to add a running back, defensive tackle, defensive end, offensive tackle, safety, and wide receiver, one position won’t be addressed with the team’s five remaining picks.

Having three quarterbacks on the roster, with one being a young talent that has generated some trade interest over the last year, Poles could be pushed to act, especially if new head coach Ben Johnson wants a specific that may be available. Bagent’s potential could be enough for a team like the Saints or Steelers to give up a late round selection or even more because Chicago is operating from with flexibility at the quarterback position. With Keenum’s experience over the past eight years, it is unlikely Tyson Bagent would see playing time if Caleb Williams were to go down with an injury.

The quarterback position during the later part of the 2025 NFL Draft is expected to be thin, especially if prospects like Jalen Milroe and Shedeur Sanders are taken early in the second round. If the signal-callers are gone early, Poles needs to be on the phone with the teams that have yet to address their QB position in both free agency and the draft. Being frequent when it comes to trying to shop Tyson Bagent could enable the Bears to get a draft pick that could be used on a prospect who could end up being a steal.

Poles has done a terrific job stockpiling selections at the top of the draft while also trading away selections in the later rounds that have resulting in fewer players added over the past two years. With only two picks for Day three of the draft, leveraging Tyson Bagent to a franchise in need of quarterback help becomes a priority. Adding one more draft pick by trading away Bagent, a player signed as an undrafted free agent, would be a huge payoff for the general manager that scouted the quarterback from Shepherd.