NEW YORK — The Chicago Bears pursued a trade for Russell Wilson but failed to land the Seahawks star quarterback and settled for Cowboys backup Andy Dalton instead.
Dalton, 33, and the Bears agreed on Tuesday to a one-year, $10 million contract with $3 million more available in incentives.
The deal was a letdown for Bears fans, who were hoping for a major splash with GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy on the hot seat, as motivated as ever to land a franchise QB.
It’s also a letdown for Wilson, because it crosses another team off his short-list of clubs to which he would accept a trade.
The Dallas Cowboys re-signed Dak Prescott. The New Orleans Saints say they are re-signing Jameis Winston to compete with Taysom Hill in camp. And the Bears now have acquired Dalton to top the depth chart after letting former No. 1 pick Mitchell Trubisky walk out the door.
The Las Vegas Raiders are the only team on Wilson’s four-team list, reported by ESPN, that hasn’t made a change or a move yet at the quarterback position.
But Jon Gruden has Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota already, and he is suddenly dismantling the Raiders’ strong offensive line, including Tuesday’s stunning release of three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson.
Wilson’s primary gripe in Seattle is his offensive line and pass protection, so the Raiders certainly aren’t moving in his preferred direction, either.
If Seattle isn’t going to trade Wilson, it certainly creates an uncomfortable situation for the NFC West franchise.
The Seahawks’ QB threw his linemen, teammates and the organization under the bus in February, complaining publicly about his lack of pass protection and level of influence in personnel moves. Walking back into that locker room will be interesting.
The Jets’ Sam Darnold won’t end up in Seattle if Wilson isn’t traded either, despite a source telling the New York Daily News on Monday to “keep an eye on Seattle for Darnold” if Wilson were dealt due to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s high opinion of the former USC QB.
There is plenty of league interest in Darnold, though, as the Jets hold the No. 2 overall pick and are accepting calls on their QB.
Certainly, the disappointment of Bears faithful is more than understandable, and it was more than just the fans.
Retired former Bears LB Lance Briggs posted an emoji of a person smacking their forehead on Twitter, and former Bears safety Adrian Amos, now on the Packers, posted three laughing emojis.
Dalton is a capable NFL starter, with 142 career starts with the Bengals (133) and Cowboys (nine). But the Bears’ defense and fans and star receiver Allen Robinson have starved for years for a quarterback to help them win, and this is not a blockbuster upgrade.
Dalton’s agreement with Chicago actually was part of a flurry of quarterback deals that came together early Tuesday evening.
The Houston Texans agreed with former Chargers and Bills QB Tyrod Taylor on a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $12.5 million, interesting insurance for the team that says it will not trade disgruntled franchise QB Deshaun Watson.
And the Miami Dolphins brought in former Colts and Patriots backup Jacoby Brissett on a reported one-year deal with $5 million guaranteed worth up to $7.5 million. Brissett is in line to back up Tua Tagovailoa assuming Miami doesn’t deal for Watson.
