Quarterback Connor Shaw is still with the Chicago Bears, and that’s — seemingly — exactly how the universe wants things.
Bears keep Connor Shaw despite announcing they would cut him earlier in the day
After indicating they were releasing Shaw, the Bears were forced to keep him on the roster.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Despite announcing earlier in the day that the team was releasing the former Gamecock, the Bears were forced to make room for him on their 90-man roster. Shaw was saved from the waiver wire after Mark Sanchez suffered a knee injury during practice. While Sanchez’s injury isn’t expected to be serious, the team will keep Shaw around for a little while longer.
This is the second time in a year that Shaw has had odd experiences that resulted in him suiting up for the Bears. The first was in July 2016, when the New Orleans Saints tipped their hand by accidentally emailing the 31 other NFL teams their interest in claiming the quarterback from the Browns. Chicago was able to snag Shaw before risking that he would go elsewhere.
Shaw ended up playing in the Bears’ first three preseason games, recording 127 yards on 11-of-16 passes for two touchdowns and a 132.0 passer rating — with zero interceptions. His future looked promising until he broke his leg against the Kansas City Chiefs and ended up missing the entire 2016 regular season.
The Bears now have Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez, and No. 2 overall draft pick Mitch Trubisky in their quarterback room. But for now, Shaw’s still got a spot.
If the universe eventually does let Shaw take roots in a city other than Chicago, he might have a tough time finding a home thanks to his injury history. In addition to hurting his leg last season, he spent the 2015 season sidelined by a thumb injury — also sustained during preseason.
Shaw’s future with the team now depends on how long Sanchez is expected to be out and how quickly Trubisky picks up the playbook. Even if he stays on through training camp, eventually the 90-man roster will be hacked down to 53, and at that point, he might have to brush up on his interview skills.
But for the time being, it appears Shaw is destined to be a Bear.
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