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Nathan Peterman

Bears To Release QB Nathan Peterman

August 29th, 2023 at 12:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears have now jettisoned both the veteran quarterbacks behind Justin Fields on their depth chart. Following P.J. Walker‘s release, Chicago will cut Nathan Peterman, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

This may not be the end of the road for the Bears and Peterman. They would like to bring him back on a practice squad deal, per Pelissero. A seventh-year veteran who has settled into a reserve role since a rough stretch of early-career game cameos, Peterman spent last season with the Bears.

More interestingly, the Bears now have only rookie UDFA Tyson Bagent behind Fields on their active roster. With Walker and Peterman off the 53-man roster, Bagent has been the Bears’ top backup option during training camp and the preseason, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin adds. It would still qualify as unusual to give this job to a rookie UDFA out of a Division II program (Shepherd), but unless the Bears add another arm on the waiver wire or in free agency between now and Week 1, Bagent is on track to be a surprising QB2.

Peterman found himself in the same transaction last year. The Bears were a bit deeper at quarterback in 2022, rostering Trevor Siemian as well. But they prioritized Peterman via a P-squad deal. This arrangement led to Peterman starting a rather important game — for draft purposes — last season. The ex-Bills draftee completed 11 of 19 passes for 114 yards in a Week 18 loss to the Vikings — a defeat that ended up securing Chicago the No. 1 overall pick. Betting on Fields, the Ryan Poles regime traded the pick to the Panthers for a package that will help the team bolster its roster around Fields.

That game marked Peterman’s first start since his disastrous Buffalo work. Despite that historically bad four-start sample in Buffalo, Peterman has managed to remain a relatively coveted commodity. He spent nearly four years as a Raiders backup, covering almost all of Jon Gruden’s second stay with the team, and has another opportunity awaiting ahead of his age-29 season.

Bears Conducting Backup Quarterback Competition?

August 20th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top spot on the Bears’ quarterback depth chart, as confirmed by their handling of the 2023 offseason, belongs to Justin Fields. Despite the identity of his backup appearing clear before training camp and the preseason began, that may not be the case.

Chicago inked P.J. Walker to a two-year deal including $2MM guaranteed in free agency. That move seemed to place the 28-year-old in prime position to secure the QB2 role behind Fields, but camp practices and exhibition contests have not seen Walker perform well enough to cement his status with the team. That has opened the door to a competition for the job.

“I would just say everything is open right now, and it’s not just that position, it’s every position,” head coach Matt Eberflus said when asked about Walker and the quarterback spot. “If the guy is in a competition, everybody can look at the roster and see who’s in a competition. Those are all going to be open. I think if you close your mind off to that, you might be missing on something” (Twitter links via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).

While Walker has underperformed so far during the summer, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent has drawn attention for his play when given an opportunity. The latter completed nine of 10 passes for 76 scoreless passing yards during last night’s preseason game against the Colts, adding a rushing touchdown. That could point to a degree of upside compared to Walker, who started seven games in Carolina (including five in 2022) and struggled to put up noteworthy numbers across his three-year Panthers tenure.

Nathan Peterman is also in the fold for the Bears, meaning he could be a QB2 candidate depending on how the remainder of August plays out. Chicago made a low-cost investment in Peterman for the second straight year this offseason, after the former Bills draftee made three appearances and one start in 2022. The Bears’ final preseason contest will no doubt go a long way in determining the final pecking order under center. As things currently stand, though, Walker’s grip on the backup spot does not appear to be a firm one.

Bears To Re-Sign QB Nathan Peterman

March 30th, 2023 at 4:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Each of the top two members of Chicago’s quarterback depth chart from last season will be in place for 2023. The Bears are re-signing backup QB Nathan Peterman, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The former Bills fifth-rounder had an unflattering start to his career in Buffalo, but he landed a backup role with the Raiders starting in 2019. He ended up making only two appearances with his second team across his time with them, however, and finished his tenure there on the team’s practice squad.

As a free agent, the 28-year-old moved on for the second time in his career last offseason. Peterman inked a one-year contract with the Bears, giving the team a veteran presence behind starter Justin Fields. The latter took a step forward (at least in terms of rushing production) in 2022, to the point where general manager Ryan Poles repeatedly stated the team’s intention of keeping him as their starting signal-caller. That was confirmed when the Bears traded the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft to the Panthers earlier this month.

Fields operated as the full-time starter when healthy last season, but Peterman was able to make one start amidst his three total appearances. His numbers in that brief spell (56% completion percentage, 68.6 passer rating and 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio) certainly weren’t enough to convince the Bears – or any other team – that anything other than a QB2 role would be in store for Peterman in 2023 and beyond.

With this new deal, he will be able to continue his stay in the Windy City as a familiar face in the Bears’ quarterbacks room. Fellow veteran Tim Boyle, who was brought in late during the 2022 season as insurance and made one appearance in Chicago, remains unsigned. He will likely be headed elsewhere in the near future, with the Bears set under center for 2023.

Justin Fields To Start In Week 13

December 3rd, 2022 at 5:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 3: Getting Fields back is crucial for the Bears this week as their backup quarterback, Siemian is being placed on IR. To fulfill the backup duties, Chicago has signed the practice squad quarterback, Peterman, to the active roster, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

DECEMBER 2: Justin Fields has made steady progress since suffering a dislocated shoulder, and he will ultimately miss just one game as a result of it. The Bears quarterback is not on the team’s Week 13 injury report, meaning he is in line to start on Sunday.

Fields was carted off the field during Chicago’s Week 11 loss to the Falcons. The injury took away his opportunity to record three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, but more importantly, also left his short- and intermediate-term availability in question. After further testing, it became clear that his return to game action would be dependent on pain management.

The 2021 first-rounder expressed optimism in being able to suit up for Week 12, but was held out. He received first-team reps in practice this week, though, and was listed as a full participant for the past two days. As a result, head coach Matt Eberflus said Fields is “100%” with respect to his health status leading into the upcoming contest against the Packers.

“Right now he feels, and we feel, that the mobility and strength is there for him to protect himself,” Eberflus added, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, on Twitter, “and he feels like he’s a hundred percent, ready to go.” 

That will allow the Ohio State alum to pick up where he left off in what has become an encouraging second year in the NFL. Fields has taken an incremental step forward as a passer in 2022, operating within a very run-heavy scheme and with a pass-catching corps which will no longer include No. 1 wideout Darnell Mooney for the rest of the season. On the ground, though, Fields has become the team’s offensive focal point with a league-leading 6.8 yards per carry and seven rushing touchdowns.

Even as Fields is set to return, however, the Bears will be shorthanded under center moving forward. Veteran backup Trevor Siemian – who filled in for Fields last week – suffered an oblique injury during warmups. While he was able to play through it during Chicago’s loss to the Jets, the 30-year-old will now undergo season-ending surgery, per an announcement from Eberflus. That will leave Fields and Nathan Peterman available as signal-callers for the remainder of the season.

The 3-9 Bears are not in the thick of the NFC playoff race, but they will have the opportunity to evaluate Fields both in terms of his recovery, and his continued career ascension as the rebuilding squad eyes improvements in the offseason.

Bears To Start QB Trevor Siemian In Week 12

November 27th, 2022 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

NOVEMBER 27, 12:04pm: Scratch that. Siemian is under center for the Bears, with Peterman operating as the backup.

NOVEMBER 27, 11:29am: Fields is indeed inactive for Sunday’s contest against the Jets, and in even worse news for the Bears, Siemian injured his oblique during pregame warmups (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network). Therefore, Peterman will be making his first start since Week 9 of the 2018 season, while Siemian will serve as his backup.

As Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com tweets, RB David Montgomery is Chicago’s emergency signal-caller.

NOVEMBER 26: It sounds like the Bears are preparing for tomorrow’s game as if they won’t have Justin Fields under center. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has promoted quarterback Nathan Peterman from the practice squad.

Fields has been nursing a shoulder injury that resulted in him being listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Jets. The QB told reporters that he’s dealing with a separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments, and while he acknowledged that he’s feeling better every day, he was still limited on Thursday and Friday before earning his official questionable designation.

“I think we’re going to let it go up to the game,” coach Matt Eberflus said (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “We’ll try to do that. We think that’s where it is, and we’ll see where he is at game time and see how he feels.”

If Fields doesn’t play, veteran Trevor Siemian will likely earn his first start of the season. The Bears had been rolling with only two quarterbacks on their active roster prior to today’s transaction. Garafolo notes that the Bears will likely take their starting QB decision down to game time.

As for Peterman, the veteran QB has spent the majority of the 2022 season on Chicago’s practice squad. Following a one-plus-year stint with the Bills to start his career, Peterman spent the better part of the past four seasons with the Raiders. He only got into a pair of games during his time with the organization, completing three of his five pass attempts.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

August 31st, 2022 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Chicago Bears

Claimed:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Claimed:

Waived:

Released from IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Waived: 

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Waived:

Bears Reduce Roster To 53 Players

August 30th, 2022 at 6:10pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears trimmed their roster to the NFL’s mandatory 53-man limit today:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Michael Schofield III is an experienced starter with more than 100 NFL games under his belt, but it was immediately clear that he was competing for a roster spot when he inked a deal worth only $1.12MM. He ultimately lost out on a starting gig in Chicago to Teven Jenkins, who was mentioned as a trade candidate only yesterday.

Sam Kamara got into eight games with Chicago in 2021 while mostly appearing on special teams. Nsimba Webster got into six games with the Bears last year, returning four punts for 13 yards. Both of these young players are candidates to return to Chicago’s practice squad to start the 2022 campaign.

Nathan Peterman is also expected to land back on the Bears’ practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). After tossing three touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions in two seasons with Buffalo, Peterman spent the past three years with the Raiders, getting into only a pair of games. Justin Fields and Trevor Siemian are the only two QBs on the Bears active roster, so Peterman will see a promotion if either of those two are sidelined.

Bears Sign QB Nathan Peterman

May 11th, 2022 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three-plus seasons with the Raiders, Nathan Peterman has found a new team. The Bears signed the veteran quarterback to a one-year deal Wednesday.

Although the once-maligned quarterback is best known for making disastrous starts during his Bills tenure, which included a Week 1 start ahead of Josh Allen in 2018, Peterman has stabilized his career as a reserve. He caught on with the Raiders during Jon Gruden‘s first year, and after signing a 2019 reserve/futures contract, the Pitt product continued to work as one of Derek Carr‘s understudies.

Peterman primarily played behind both Carr and Marcus Mariota in Las Vegas. The 2017 fifth-round pick signed a one-year, $1MM pact to stay with the Raiders last year, and he finished the year on the Raiders’ practice squad. Since his Bills tenure wrapped midway through the 2018 season, Peterman has attempted eight regular-season passes. He still carries a career 3-12 career touchdown pass-to-interception ratio and a 34.0 passer rating.

The Bears previously carried one of the most experienced sets of second- and third-string quarterbacks in NFL history, rostering Andy Dalton and Nick Foles. Dalton has since signed with the Saints, and the Bears cut Foles shortly after the draft. The 10-year veteran remains a free agent. Trevor Siemian joins Peterman behind Justin Fields now; the team waived second-year QB Ryan Willis on Wednesday.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/25-12/26/21

December 26th, 2021 at 11:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the NFL moves from Christmas and today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Raiders Waive QB Nathan Peterman

November 2nd, 2021 at 5:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

5:07pm: Indeed, the Raiders and Peterman are not truly planning to separate. Peterman is expected to land on Las Vegas’ practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Unless another team poaches him, Peterman will stay on as the Raiders’ de facto third-stringer.

4:48pm: Nathan Peterman is no longer on the Raiders’ 53-man roster. The team cut its third-string quarterback Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders also waived linebacker Javin White.

Since this transaction processed after today’s 3pm trade deadline, Peterman will head to the waiver wire. If unclaimed, the fifth-year quarterback will be a free agent. The Raiders signed Peterman to an extension in February; just more than $500K remains on his deal.

Following some disastrous in-game outings with Buffalo, Peterman landed in Oakland in December 2018. The then-Jon Gruden-led franchise then kept Peterman around via a reserve/futures deal and used him as a Derek Carr reserve over the next three seasons. Marcus Mariota stands as Carr’s backup; the Raiders do not have a quarterback on their practice squad.

Given Gruden’s abrupt exit, it will be somewhat interesting if the Raiders bring back Peterman. He remains practice squad-eligible, should Las Vegas go this route. Mariota has spent time on IR in each of his two Raiders seasons and certainly battled health issues while with the Titans.

A fifth-round pick in 2017, Peterman has a ghastly 3-to-12 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio and has completed 52.6% of his passes (at just 4.2 yards per throw). The 27-year-old passer has nevertheless stuck around as a backup arm. He appeared two Raiders games, the second of which coming earlier this season.

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