3 reasons Alex Smith is everything the Bears need at QB in 2021

2. Smith Is Practically An Automatic Upgrade

Bears’ fans would love to see a big trade for Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson, as general manager Ryan Pace considers mortgaging a future he may not see if 2021 goes poorly. For nearly the entire fanbase, regardless of the actual move, the next quarterback not being Trubisky or Foles may be enough.

Based on raw numbers, while taking into account he hadn’t played a game in two years and played fewer games, Smith was not markedly better than Trubisky or Foles last season. In some categories, he was not better at all. But in the middle four of his six starts, accounting for rust and a calf injury on each end, he had a higher passer rating than Foles did for the season and Trubisky needed some soft matchups late (Lions, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars) to push his passer rating higher than Smith’s.

Smith also has an intangible quality that Trubisky flat-out lacks, and former Super Bowl MVP perception does not equal reality for Foles in that area. Smith is a credible leader, and still a solid quarterback if health will allow. That’s the type of quarterback the Bears need.