The Bears made their first big roster cut Sunday.
A source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago that the Bears have released quarterback P.J. Walker. CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones was the first to report the move.
The Bears signed Walker to a two-year, $4.15 million contract this offseason. That contract came with just over $2 million in guarantees.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
But Walker struggled mightily in training camp, opening the door for undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent to create a competition for the backup quarterback position.
In the Bears' preseason finale Saturday, Bagent was the first quarterback to come off the bench and relieve starting quarterback Justin Fields. Walker took over for Bagent and played three series in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills.
But Walker's experience and the contract guarantees weren't enough to fend off Bagent or convince Bears general manager Ryan Poles or head coach Matt Eberflus to keep him as the third quarterback on the 53-man roster.
Bagent's improbable run from undrafted Division II legend to Bears backup quarterback appears to be complete.
The Bears prioritized on-field production over past experience and money owed. Those are the tough decisions that winning organizations often have to make.
Bagent proved he belonged during training camp and the preseason. He outplayed Walker, and his talent is too enticing to risk losing in a practice squad stash gambit.
The Bears likely will roll into the season with Fields and Bagent in the quarterback room. That's a sentence that was inconceivable one month ago.