The Bears have stood firm in their belief of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky following an abysmal season that called his future into question.
But for all of the “we belief in Mitch” talk hailing from general manager Ryan Pace, head coach Matt Nagy and Trubisky’s teammates, that doesn’t mean that Chicago should once again lead with blind-faith in Trubisky next season.
Trubisky was far from the only problem on offense last season, but he was a big reason for the regression of an average unit the previous year. Inconsistencies in decision-making and accuracy continued to plague Trubisky in a brutal 2019, so much so that everyone and their mother knows that the Bears are looking to bring in a backup plan.
While the Bears shouldn’t give up on Trubisky’s development, Bleacher Report believes it would be a mistake to rely solely on Trubisky in 2020.
The Bears don’t have to bring in direct competition for Trubisky in 2020, but they need to invest more into the position—with a draft pick or a solid backup—to provide a safety net if Trubisky doesn’t develop accordingly.
The 25-year-old finished the 2019 campaign with a 39.5 QBR and an 83.0 passer rating. Both are bottom-five marks among qualified signal-callers.
General manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy have preached competition at every position this offseason, including quarterback. While it doesn’t mean Trubisky won’t be the starter, it’s certainly a warning shot should Trubisky continue to struggle in 2020.
“Throughout our team, that’s what we want,” Pace told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. “Everybody’s fighting for starting jobs. That’s what we want to create. The best teams we’ve been a part of, there’s competition everywhere.”
The Bears have been linked to nearly every veteran free agent quarterback and even some quarterbacks teams could be looking to trade this offseason. Chicago reportedly had been in talks with the Bengals about Andy Dalton, who fits the bill for an experienced veteran that wouldn’t be brought in to replace Trubisky rather as insurance should Trubisky’s struggles continue.
While competition is always good, Pace wouldn’t be talking about competition for his starting quarterback if Trubisky’s job was secure. Then again, Trubisky hasn’t earned that confidence.
