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Bears remain committed to Andy Dalton as starting quarterback

The Bears won't open up a quarterback competition between Dalton and rookie Justin Fields.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- The Bears never made a formal promise to quarterback Andy Dalton that he would be their starter, but they continue to assure him that's their plan.

Coach Matt Nagy on Tuesday reiterated that the Bears won't open up a formal quarterback competition ahead of their regular-season opener against the Rams on Sept. 12. So long as that remains the case, that means Dalton would be the Bears' starting quarterback to open the season while rookie Justin Fields, the No. 11 overall pick in the NFL Draft in late April, would be the backup.


"We told him and I specifically told him, 'You're our starter,'" Nagy said of his conversation with Dalton. "That's that. And now when you're in Andy's role, when you're Justin's role, when you're in (Nick Foles') role, they know their roles and now it's their job to be able to be the best quarterback they can be.

"Andy Dalton is our starter."

Dalton, 33, joined the Bears on a one-year, $10-million deal in March. A three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Dalton had his ups and downs Dallas in 2020, posting an 87.3 quarterback rating in 11 games, including nine starts. He was last selected to the Pro Bowl in 2016, throwing for 4,206 yards with the Bengals that season.

The Bears traded up to select Fields in the first round, something Dalton has indicated didn't change his mindset.

"I knew the situation I was going into, regardless of if they drafted somebody or they didn't," Dalton said earlier in June. "I was on a one-year deal and I was going to be the starter. So, my mindset didn't have to change. I already knew that I'm going to do everything I can to be the best player I can for this team and to help us win a lot of football games."

The Bears have given the first-team reps to Dalton during the offseason program, something they anticipate continuing during training camp. Fields has been declared the Bears' backup quarterback while the veteran Foles, who started seven games last season, is third on the depth chart.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.

The Bears won't open up a quarterback competition between Dalton and rookie Justin Fields.