At the core of the Bears’ quarterback problem, which is the biggest thing holding them back from championship contention, is a matter of the heart for general manager Ryan Pace:
Is he capable of making an honest, dispassionate assessment of Mitch Trubisky’s flaws? Or will Pace see what he wants to see?
“A strength of mine is to remove emotions and remove those feelings,” Pace said. “It’s always just what’s best for our franchise. Matt [Nagy] and I both operate with no egos and a lot of humility and every discussion we have is what’s best for our team. I understand what you’re saying, but that never factors into my decision making.”
That answer is on-script, but hardly believable.
During the same half-hour in which Pace claimed he has clear eyes when it comes to the quarterback on whom he staked his job by trading up to draft No. 2 overall, the rest of what he said proved he doesn’t.
Pace needs Trubisky to succeed. That’s why he ruled out bringing in a starting-caliber quarterback and holding an open competition. He’ll peruse second- and third-stringers, but, “Mitch is our starter.”
No objective observer would endorse that based on Trubisky’s first three seasons. His most recent work included finishing last in yards per attempt.
The guys Pace bypassed in 2017 have an insurmountable lead. It can be declared without hesitation that Trubisky will never catch reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson. Those two were instant hits, just like 2018 first-rounder and current MVP favorite Lamar Jackson.
“I think it’s just understanding that they’re all different,” Pace said.
That is the nicest possible way to put it.
These aren’t equally talented players developing at different speeds. The longer the Bears deny it, the more they delay themselves.
Nagy seemed more level-headed on Trubisky. Remember that he came aboard a year after that draft pick. In fact, he was on the Chiefs staff that drafted Mahomes. He mentioned that Trubisky has significant work to do when it comes to reading coverages.
Pace’s overall reaction to the barrage of Trubisky questions indicated he’d make the same choice if he could do it over again. After watching 41 starts, Pace maintains that a determination on what Trubisky might become is “still wide open.”
The one instance in which Pace indicated a grasp of reality came when he was pressed about activating Trubisky’s 2021 option, a $20-plus million decision he must make by March. He said he hasn’t gotten to that yet.
While it doesn’t serve Pace to admit he botched that pick, an error that will define his career unless he wins a Super Bowl, he showed conviction. He’s delusional, not disingenuous.
“What I like about Ryan — he has never wavered,” Bears president Ted Phillips said. “You can’t be 100 percent right all the time, but you’ve got to go with a mindset of ‘no regrets,’ and that’s what they do. I think so far it has served us well.”
How well has it served them given that Pace is 34-46 as general manager and neither Watson nor Mahomes wears a Bears jersey?
“We try not to get into that comparison game,” Phillips. “We believe in Mitch. Patrick Mahomes is an anomaly. I mean, nobody expected that kind of performance, right?”
First objection: Not only did the Chiefs expect something like that, as any team does when choosing a quarterback that high, they were so concerned that another general manager might see it that they traded up to get him.
Second objection: What about Watson?
Third objection: General managers are always judged on whether they get it right on first-round picks.
This is when regret is prudent and wavering would be wise for Pace. Stubbornly sticking with Trubisky only sets the Bears back and wastes the window of an elite defense.
But Pace can’t see what everyone else can.
