The Chicago Bears dove right into the quarterback market — they just didn't get the one fans likely wanted.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bears made a "very aggressive pursuit" of Russell Wilson, but were told the Seattle Seahawks were not trading the quarterback "at this time." Curiously, the Bears were one of the four teams on Wilson's wishlist of trade destinations.
Instead, the Bears reached an agreement with former Cowboys backup Andy Dalton on Tuesday — a one-year deal worth $10 million, per Schefter.
With Mitch Trubisky scheduled to hit the free agent market on Wednesday afternoon, that leaves Dalton and Nick Foles (signed through 2022) on the Bears' quarterback depth chart.
The Bears' odds to win the NFC North quickly moved after news of the Dalton acquisition broke (via DraftKings):
- Before Dalton news: +475
- After Dalton news: +550
That's only a slight difference in implied probability, from 17.4% down to 15.4% (convert more odds here), but notable given that fans were hoping the Bears would improve their standing in the division — not seemingly hurt it more according to the betting market.
The Bears now find themselves behind the Green Bay Packers (-250) and Minnesota Vikings (+400), though still ahead of the Detroit Lions (+2800). Chicago's odds to win the NFC (+2200) remain unchanged at DraftKings.
Are you an ambitious Bears fan who is thinking about more than just the NFC North, that they're a quarterback away from a trip to the Super Bowl?
Well, Dalton is not that guy, according to William Hill.
According to our Darren Rovell, the Bears' odds of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy went from +4000 to +5000 after the signing of Dalton was reported.
