Tyson Bagent may not be a household name, but the third-year quarterback for the Chicago Bears has quietly built a résumé that should have NFL front offices paying attention—especially those in need of a reliable backup.
The Los Angeles Rams, who face questions about their quarterback depth behind an aging and currently banged-up Matthew Stafford, meet that criteria.
On the August 11 episode of 670 The Score’s “Spiegel & Holmes Show,” co-host Laurence Holmes said he thinks the Rams may make the most sense asa trade partner for Bagent.
“I think that if I’m the Rams, I would at least make a phone call about Tyson Bagent,” Holmes said, noting he thinks Bagent would prefer an opportunity to compete for a starting role at some point, and that likely won’t happen in Chicago.
“If I’m (Bagent), I don’t know that I want to spend my life just waiting for an opportunity, versus taking what you can do and seeing if you can parlay it into something else. And if it’s the Rams … you still get an opportunity to play with one of the great offensive minds in the game, like Sean McVay,” Holmes added.
Bagent Has Been Steadily Growing Over His Time in the NFL
As a rookie in 2023, Bagent became the first undrafted Bears QB to start a game since 1960. He went 2–2 in four starts. His career stat line through 2024 sits at 96-of-145 (66.2%) for 870 yards with three TDs and six interceptions plus two rushing scores across nine games.
In 2024, Bagent saw only spot duty behind Caleb Williams (2-for-2 for 11 yards across four very brief appearances), but he remains a trusted backup, and first-year head coach Ben Johnson seems to really like him.
In the 2025 preseason opener, Bagent went 13-of-19 for 103 yards with one touchdown and one interception (77.3 rating) in a 24–24 tie with the Dolphins. It’s a small sample, but it got multiple analysts buzzing about whether Bagent could be a trade candidate for Chicago.
Why a Trade for Bears QB Tyson Bagent Would Make Sense for the Los Angeles Rams
GettyCould the L.A. Rams try to trade for QB Tyson Bagent of the Chicago Bears?
Stafford has been sidelined in camp by a lingering back issue, and while the team remains optimistic, they say there’s “no update” on his status—never something you want to hear in August. Jimmy Garoppolo is a capable QB2 on a one-year deal, but he missed time in prior seasons and is better treated as short-term insurance than a long-term bridge. Bagent would give McVay a cheap, young QB who’s already won NFL games.
The roster fit also makes sense. The Rams’ depth chart currently lists Stafford, Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett, with Bennett still largely untested in regular season games. If Stafford’s ramp-up lingers, a low-cost backup like Bagent makes absolute sense. He could compete with Bennett and Jimmy G., with a very real chance of being better than them both.
He’d also be a good fit for McVay, who likes his QBs to get rid of the ball quickly and with rhythm. Bagent can do that, and he also has more mobility than any other QB currently employed by the Rams.
The Rams have made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, and they’re not looking to break that streak this year. With question marks swirling around their QBs room and the 37-year-old Stafford ailing, adding a capable backup who can win in this league seems like the smart thing to do. If the Bears are willing to part with Bagent — and that’s a big if — it would behoove the Rams to look into a trade.
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