After committing to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback for 2020, Bears general manager Ryan Pace wasn’t exactly all-in on Trubisky during his end-of-the-year press conference on Tuesday.
Pace said it was too early to say what the team would do in regards to picking up Trubisky’s fifth-year option. The Bears would have to inform Trubisky that they’re picking up his option by May 5.
While the Bears haven’t committed to picking up Trubisky’s fifth-year option, which would pay him an estimated $24 million in 2021, it would be surprising if they didn’t ultimately pull the trigger on that option after committing to Trubisky in 2020.
The fifth-year option is guaranteed only for injury, meaning the Bears could get out of it if Trubisky doesn’t pan out in his fourth season. It would become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster at the start of the 2021 league year. But if Trubisky were to suffer a severe injury this upcoming season, the Bears would be required to pay him the roughly $24 million in full.
Interestingly enough, at this time last year Pace said the Bears would be pick up linebacker Leonard Floyd’s fifth-year option, which they eventually did.
Ultimately, if Trubisky is going to be the Bears’ starting quarterback in 2020, as Pace confirmed, then expect for Chicago to pick up that option before the deadline.
