The Chicago Bears will finally name a starting quarterback.
The Chicago Bears have one of the league’s best defenses, but their milquetoast passing game spearheaded by Mitchell Trubisky doomed them last year. Adding Nick Foles via trade has done little in the way of providing clarity, as the two are apparently performing so evenly in camp that head coach Matt Nagy isn’t ready to declare a winner just yet. Bears fans will have to wait until right before Week 1 to finally get some answers.
Nagy has decided to be less cryptic than he was originally hinting, claiming instead that he will announce Chicago’s starting quarterback prior to their Week 1 matchup against the rival Detroit Lions.
#Bears QB Matt Nagy clarifies. He said he won't name a quarterback THIS WEEK. It will be next week — and not on game day.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) September 1, 2020
The Bears will have to pick between two quarterbacks who disappointed in 2019
After several successful playoff runs with the Philadelphia Eagles, Foles signed a four-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Duval County, injuries and poor performance limited him to just four starts. He lost all four, and threw just three touchdown passes. Rookie Gardner Minshew came in after Foles and played exceptionally well.
Trubisky’s passer rating slumped from 95.4 in 2018 to 83.0 in 2019, with a pitiful 5.9 yards per attempt ratio serving as the main catalyst for his struggles. That isn’t ideal for a guy who was picked ahead of Patrick Mahomes.
While he has made some nice throws in camp, those observing practice every day seem to think that Foles, a marginally superior arm talent, is doing more to seize the QB1 job than Trubisky is.
Watching these two QB's today, I thought it was Nick Foles that had the better day. Today it was pretty clear at least in my eyes.. However, Nagy says he won't publicly name a starter before Week 1. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) August 29, 2020
Neither option is enticing for Nagy, as he will be forced to choose between a statue in the pocket who might be an odd fit in their offense and a disappointing first-round pick hovering around bust territory. If Nagy makes the wrong choice in this battle, the resulting play on the field might end up costing him his job with the Bears.