The Bears are releasing quarterback P.J. Walker on Sunday, a source confirmed.
The move ends a brief — and expensive — relationship between the two sides. The Bears signed Walker to a two-year, $4 million deal to back up quarterback Justin Fields in March. Walker had $2 million guaranteed, a fact that seemed to cement his place on the team despite his struggles all throughout training camp.
Instead, though, the Bears decided to cut Walker. Unless the Bears make an addition, rookie Tyson Bagent is in line to be Fields’ backup. Bagent is an undrafted rookie from Div. II Shepherd University. The Bears have been impressed by his play all summer, bringing him in off the bench second behind Fields in Saturday’s 24-21 loss to the Bills at Soldier Field.
Walker admitted after Saturday’s game that he hadn’t played as well as he’d hoped.
“I ain’t a fool,” he said. “I can read the room. I know what it is. It’s a business, and if you ain’t performing, you ain’t going to be able to play. ...
“I’ve done everything I can to help everyone in the room. For me, it’s not about just whether I make this team. There are a whole lot of teams out there.’’
Walker finished the preseason with a 55.7 passer rating, helped by his Saturday performance in the fourth quarter — against Bills players likely to be cut — in which he went 6-for-11 for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Bagent’s passer rating fell to 67.6, but he had ratings over 97 in each of his first two preseason games.
