Peterman completed 11 of 19 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' 29-13 loss to the Vikings in Week 18, and ended the season completing 14 of 25 passes for 139 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
What it means:
Finishing his fifth year in the league, Peterman may be hard-pressed to have a roster spot as anything higher than a third-string quarterback, as he's completed less than 55 percent of his pass attempts during his career while throwing significantly more interceptions than touchdowns. He's now an unrestricted free agent.
Bears starting Nathan Peterman to finish season
What it means:
Chicago Bears quarterback Nathan Peterman will start Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Justin Fields has been ruled out with a hip injury, so Peterman will make his first start since 2018 when he was with the Buffalo Bills. The Bears' offense should be avoided in Week 18, even in a favorable matchup against the Vikings.
Peterman has a 52.5% career completion rate with 3 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday that Peterman will start Sunday's regular-season finale against the Vikings, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic reports.
What it means:
Peterman will enter the starting lineup with Justin Fields (hip) ruled out due to a strain, one which Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports is not a long-term injury. The Vikings have clinched the NFC North division title and may ultimately rest some starters Week 18, but Peterman's chances of racking up fantasy production in his first start since 2018 will still be hampered by having to work with Chase Claypool, Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown and Cole Kmet as his top receiving options.
The Bears signed Peterman to the active roster Saturday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
What it means:
Peterman was called up from the practice squad for Chicago's Week 12 loss to the Jets with starting quarterback Justin Fields inactive due to a shoulder injury. However, the practice-squad signal-caller did not see any playing time behind quarterback Trevor Siemian, who wound up playing every offensive snap despite suffering an oblique injury in pregame warmups. Siemian then did not practice at all during Week 13 prep before the team eventually announced he would undergo season-ending surgery, landing him on injured reserve Saturday, per Pelissero. With Fields now expected to return for Sunday's game against Green Bay, Peterman will likely serve as the Bears' backup signal-caller for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.
Peterman reverted to the Bears' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.
What it means:
Peterman received the bump up for Sunday's loss to the Jets with Justin Fields (shoulder) out. He was expected to backup Trevor Siemian, but Peterman almost drew the start when Siemian strained his oblique during warmups. However, Siemian went on the play and Peterman played the No. 2 role and remained on the sidelines throughout the game. If Fields is unable to play Week 13 against the Packers, Peterman will likely once again find his way to the active roster and serving as Siemian's backup.
Peterman was active as the Bears' backup quarterback but didn't see the field Sunday in the team's 31-10 loss to the Jets.
What it means:
Peterman was elevated from the practice squad Saturday in anticipation of the absence of starter Justin Fields (shoulder), who was ultimately placed on the inactive list. Trevor Siemian, who had served as Fields' understudy all season, was in position to step in as the starter, but Siemian's availability for the game suddenly became murky during pregame warmups, when he suffered an oblique injury. Peterman thus appeared on track to get the start leading up to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, only for the Bears to determine that Siemian's oblique injury wasn't severe enough to prevent him from playing. Siemian ended up taking the field for the Bears' first offensive series and played all 57 snaps in the loss, and provided he didn't experience any setbacks with the oblique during the game, he'll presumably be in line to start Week 13 against the Packers if Fields isn't cleared to play.