A huge piece of the exasperation with Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky’s meandering development is the rise of MVP Patrick Mahomes and possible future MVP Deshaun Watson.
Those two went 10th and 12th, respectively, in 2017 after Bears general manager Ryan Pace traded up to take Trubisky at No. 2, and they’re already miles ahead. The Chiefs and Texans don’t wonder whether they have a franchise quarterback. They know.
And while that disparity grows larger and more maddening each week, it gets even worse for the Bears as new quarterbacks from the ensuing draft classes overtake Trubisky. One of them will be at Soldier Field on Sunday, when the Bears face Giants rookie Daniel Jones, the No. 6 pick.
Nine games into his career, Jones is putting together a better season than Trubisky, who is nine games into Year 3. He is one of eight quarterbacks from the 2017, ‘18 and ‘19 drafts who have a higher passer rating this season than Trubisky’s 82.2.
“He’s a very smart quarterback that’s going to make good decisions,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said of Jones. “It’s never easy coming in as a rookie to produce, and there’s growing pains. The stuff I’ve seen from him, I know he’s going to have a bright future.”
Jones, an 88-rated passer, puts up nearly 45 more yards per game than Trubisky, who ranks last in yardage per game (175.6) and attempt (5.6). Jones has thrown 15 touchdown passes, versus nine by Trubisky. Jones has three 300-yard games already as Trubisky seeks his first of 2019.
Mahomes, of course, does it virtually every week and Watson isn’t far behind him, but second-year Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been a worthy peer this season with a 106.3 passer rating and an unrivaled throwing-running threat. He was a first-round pick the year after Trubisky. Good luck fighting back jealously while watching him Monday night against the Rams.
The top pick this year, Kyler Murray, has shown flashes of potential despite playing on a dreadful Cardinals team. He has broken 300 yards four times, one fewer than Trubisky’s career total, and has outpaced him in every category.
The one positive on Trubisky’s season is that he’s thrown just four interceptions in 282 throws, but Murray (5 in 393) and Jaguars sixth-round pick Gardner Minshew (4 in 307) have been sharper.
Bills second-year quarterback Josh Allen and Steelers 2018 third-rounder aren’t blowing anyone away, but both are ahead of Trubisky in passer rating, yardage and touchdowns.
There are four other recent draft picks with at least 100 attempts this season, all from the 2018 class: the Browns’ Baker Mayfield (No. 1), the Jets’ Sam Darnold (No. 3), the Dolphins’ Josh Rosen (No. 10) and the Panthers’ Kyle Allen (undrafted). Trubisky has a higher passer rating than any of them, though Mayfield seems to be heating up and could catch him with one or two big games.
From a viewing perspective, many of the quarterbacks from the last three classes — beyond the obvious in Mahomes and Watson — are must-see players. Murray nearly ran for 100 yards in a game this season, Josh Allen makes gutsy throws and runs like a truck, Mayfield is a livewire and Jackson is better than Netflix.
Meanwhile, the Bears are wringing a lot of that excitement out of Trubisky. He went from 30 yards per game rushing last season to almost exclusively a pocket passer, which hardly seems to be his strength. It’s not going well and it’s not entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, other teams appear to be finding instant hits.
