“Roaring Bears Top player”Bagent embracing No. 1 role but possesses lofty career goals progress…
Just like every other time he steps on the field, will have one primary objective in Thursday night’s preseason finale in Kansas City.
The Bears backup quarterback told reporters Wednesday that he intends to show “that I am one of those guys that can play the game at a high level.”
“That’s kind of the only thing I hope every time I’m out there, is that everybody can see that I have full control of everything going,” Bagent said, “I know where my answers are, I can just play at that kind of level.”
Since joining the Bears last year as an undrafted free agent from Division II Shepherd University, Bagent has repeatedly proven he can play at that kind of level.
Last summer the 6-3, 213-pounder performed so well in training camp and the preseason that he earned the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. And when he was called upon as a spot starter during the regular season, he led the Bears to a pair of victories.
Bagent has since picked up in Year 2 where he left off as a rookie. In last Saturday’s 27-3 preseason win over the Bengals, he engineered three straight scoring drives while completing 7 of 8 passes for 87 yards with two touchdowns and a 151.6 passer rating.
In the latest edition of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears,” former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan—who teamed with Bears general manager Ryan Poles at Boston College—lauded Bagent’s improvement from his rookie season.
“It feels great,” Bagent said. “A lot of respect obviously for Matt Ryan. MVP quarterback, stud. It feels good to know that all the work I’ve been putting in is being noticed by somebody of that caliber.”
In his second season, Bagent has benefitted from being able to focus more on situational football.
“Last year as a rookie, [I was] just scrambling to kind of get the playbook down and taking any situational.
Information kind of in one ear and out the other because I’m full steam ahead just trying to understand just what we’re trying to do on this play,” Bagent said.
“Now that I’ve got the full picture drawn up in my head I know what the plays are, what formation we’re running certain things out of.
I’ve been able to kind of expand my mind into the situational aspect of football which has made the whole thing smoother and more comfortable for me.”
While Bagent is enjoying his success and embracing his role as the 24-year-old is far from satisfied. Asked about his career goals, Bagent declined to discuss them with reporters, explaining: “Y’all would think I’m crazy.”
“I’ve got ridiculous, unbelievable aspirations that go far deeper than what I’ve been able to do so far,” Bagent said. “So, I’ll sum it up like that. I’m just excited to continue to work at it and continue to get better at my craft.”
Having lofty goals is one way to assure that Bagent never becomes complacent.
I think it puts myself in a different mental space and I think it puts those around me in a different mental space regarding how they view me,” he said.
“I just don’t want to be somebody who people look at and think is just grateful he just made the team, or he’s a fringe guy.
I don’t want to be looked at [like] that. I don’t think that’s who I am. It just kind of puts me in the headspace of a limitless mindset and not a limited mindset.”
