Hub Arkush: Why Bears should go after Mariota

I'm going to do this Bears quarterback thing one more time, and then sit back and wait a few weeks to see what Ryan Pace intends to do about it.

With the Draft still 7½ weeks off there's no point in worrying about that now, so let's talk about what we know.

Available veteran free agents include Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater and Case Keenum.

Quarterbacks likely to be available via trade include Nick Foles, Andy Dalton and possibly Derek Carr.

First, what is the current state of play with Mitch Trubisky?

As disappointing as Trubisky's 2019 season was he has at least flashed the traits to suggest he still could be as good as any of the available candidates - excluding of course Brady and Rivers - once you remove all the fandom and emotion.

I'm not predicting that but it is a fact.

I believe Pace still wants him to be the starter this season and the Bears quarterback of the future, but knows he needs a better backup plan than Chase Daniel and a veteran who will push him if he's healthy.

He isn't going to offer any free agent a guarantee he'll start or even a level playing field to compete this year, and if he does pay dearly in free agency or part with draft picks he can't afford to give up in a trade he'll want a guy who can be his quarterback of the future as well.

Realistically the Bears just aren't going to be in a financial position to sign Brady or Rivers, Tannehill will only be available if Brady goes to Nashville and Pace would have to have a death wish to sign the turnover machine Winston.

Bridgewater is going to get a chance to be the future somewhere, but unless Pace is ready to quit on Trubisky - and I don't believe he is - and he's willing to make a big dollar commitment to another guy who's no sure thing, Teddy comes off the Bears shopping list too.

I love the idea of Nick Foles in a "Brock Osweiler Texans, Browns trade" in which the Bears actually gain draft capital and only inherit part of his extensive salary and that would be my first choice, but there are no indications at all the Jaguars are there or going there.

So what's behind door number two?

As I've detailed several times already there are a dozen reasons not to want Dalton before we get to his 0-4 playoff record built on a 55.7 completion percentage, 1 TD, 6 interceptions and 57.8 passer rating in those four contests.

I like the idea of Carr a lot but I can't see why the Raiders would part with him for less that one of the Bears second round picks and more.

Assuming the price tag on Carr is prohibitive it leaves Keenum and Mariota as the last men standing.

I think Mariota is the best option for the Bears because he's 5½ years younger than Keenum yet has a like number of starts and slightly better record, - 29-32 vs. 27-35 - and statistically he's better in every category.

Did Mariota actually fail in Tennessee?

In five seasons he had four different offensive coordinators and three head coaches.

His career passer rating is better than any of the QB's mentioned here except for Brady and Rivers, he is just 0.9 behind Carr and 0.3 behind Tannehill whom he was well ahead of until Tannehill's over the top '19 season.

Perhaps most importantly he is an ideal fit for Matt Nagy's offense and the best fit of anyone else on this list other than Foles.

If Mariota was all that he wouldn't be on the open market.

But what he is, is the only veteran QB out there who can come in and push Trubisky right now, be a big upgrade if he's your backup and most importantly he could be a guy just in need of a fresh start who could be the QB of the future.

He also costs no draft picks and should be signable without torturing the Bears cap if they can sell him on the plan.

He is the risk most worth taking right now.

• Hub Arkush, the executive editor of Pro Football Weekly, can be reached at harkush@profootballweekly.com or on Twitter @Hub_Arkush.