Bears were in contention to sign 3-time MVP Tom Brady: report

The Bears’ quarterback competition never would’ve happened if they’d gotten the top player on the market. Imagine Tom Brady starting the season opener Sunday instead of Mitch Trubisky.

Brady signed with the Buccaneers for his 21st season, but NBC Sports radio and television host Dan Patrick reported today that the Bears were in his top three.

There was never a whiff of the Bears courting Brady, or fellow veteran Philip Rivers, despite being an ideal destination, and there’s a big difference between being on his list and actually trying to negotiate a deal.

Had Brady chosen the Bears, he would’ve landed with a team that was a quarterback away from championship contention. With an elite defense, a decent cast of skill players, a quarterback-friendly coach in Matt Nagy and no juggernaut like the Chiefs looming in the division or conference, Brady to the Bears would’ve made sense.

And, for the Bears’ benefit, he probably would’ve brought all-pro tight end Rob Gronkowski with him. Instead, those two are in Tampa Bay and the Bears will have to play against them in Week 5.

The Bears, meanwhile, picked Nick Foles. They gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire him in a trade with the Jaguars, then committed $24 million (all of it essentially guaranteed unless Foles opts out) over a three-year contract only to watch him lose out to Trubisky for the starting job.