Does Mitch Trubisky have a chance to beat out Nick Foles?
The Bears seem ready to replace him, but could Mitch Trubisky beat out Nick Foles for the starting job?
After a 2019 season where he as literally one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, Mitch Trubisky gave the Chicago Bears no choice. They were in the market for a quarterback, eventually trading for Nick Foles when patience might have been a virtue, then followed by declining Trubisky’s fifth-year option for 2021.
But in this unique offseason, with questions about training camps and a shortened if not eliminated preseason, continuity will matter. Foles has umbrella familiarity with head coach Matt Nagy’s offensive system, but for better (2018) or worse (2019) Trubisky has the experience and inherent familiarity with the skill position talent the Bears have.
Foles is automatically regarded as the favorite to start for the Bears. But outside of two different runs with the Philadelphia Eagles, the latter culminating in a Super Bowl win and a Super Bowl MVP, it’s not as if he’s been very good.
Could Mitch Trubisky win the starting job for Bears?
Despite the addition of Foles, the Bears have consistent professed the idea of an open competition for the starting job. Since general manager Ryan Pace is the one who traded up to get Trubisky, giving up on him completely is surely difficult. Making any declarations one way for another is not something Nagy, or any NFL head coach, would do in the circumstance.
Pace: "With the addition of Nick Foles it’s exactly what we talked about from the start – we want to create competition. We've talked to both players and it’s an open competition."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 3, 2020
Nagy: "There's no competition going on right now over Zoom."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 16, 2020
The virtual offseason program is underway but the open QB competition won't begin until players can safely return to the practice field.
From @NFLTotalAccess on Monday: The #Bears expect to play both QBs in the preseason, a change from the past that should make their QB battle more interesting. pic.twitter.com/hnYEvp0LJe
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 26, 2020
Trubisky said he was motivated by the acquisition of Foles, which is exactly what he’d be expected to say. In June, for what its worth, newly-signed Bears wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said he thinks Trubisky will be the starting quarterback.
With better mobility and better tools overall, there’s no doubt Trubisky is more talented than Foles. The intangible margins are where Foles might get an edge in the competition, and those opportunities are lessened right now.
Even if Foles does win the starting job heading into Week 1, his hold on it will never feel firm unless the Bears win a whole bunch of games. One of the safer bests in the NFL for this year is Trubisky making some starts, it’s just a matter of how many and when.
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