Bears Among Betting Favorites to Land $242 Million QB in 2024

The Chicago Bears’ looming QB conundrum is often framed as Justin Fields vs. an impressive field of draft prospects, but that isn’t necessarily the whole story.

If Chicago selects Caleb Williams or Drake Maye No. 1 or No. 2 overall in April, the assumption is that the Bears will trade Fields — preferably and likely for first-round value — and that the rookie will start immediately. But there are multiple scenarios in which the team acquires a veteran signal-caller either to mentor/back up its franchise QB or to serve as a bridge starter for a year or so until that player is ready to take over.

In those scenarios, Chicago could fall into the mix for a handful of pending free agents, such as Jacoby Brissett of the Washington Commanders, Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns or Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos.

On Thursday, December 28, the sportsbook Bet Online named the Bears among the favorites to land Wilson who is all but certain to seek a new home come the start of free agency in March.

JP Finlay of NBC Sports shared Bet Online projections via X, which list the Bears with 8-1 odds to sign Wilson. A handful of potentially QB-needy teams join Chicago at 8-1, while the Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders carry 7-1 odds and the Minnesota Vikings are the current betting favorites with odds coming in at 5-1

Jeff Legwold of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the Broncos intend to bench Wilson in favor of backup QB Jarrett Stidham over the final two weeks of the season.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic added a report of her own detailing Denver’s long-held plans to part ways with Wilson this coming offseason.

“Russell Wilson is expecting to be cut by the Denver Broncos in March, per league sources,” Russini wrote on X. “For almost two months, the quarterback has been starting knowing the organization was most likely going to move on [from him] after this season.”

Wilson, often one to at least attempt to control the messaging around himself and his career, took to X on Thursday with a message of his own.