Mitch Trubisky isn't going anywhere in 2020. Let's just get that out of the way now. Has this season been a disappointment? Without question. However, the problems on offense go deeper than just the quarterback struggle. Protection and run blocking were constant issues. The tight end position was devoid of a single contributor worth mentioning. This made life harder on Trubisky and he still managed to have some decent performances.
The Chicago Bears will not give up on him. At least not with one more cheap year on his rookie deal still to go. So if they don't plan to replace him outright, what can the team do to mix things up next offseason? The simple answer is competition. Somebody who can come in initially as a backup but push Trubisky from behind, make him a little less comfortable with his standing as the starter.
Most might look to the draft for such an answer but that is unreasonable. This is much more a job for a veteran. Somebody with starting experience who's had success at one time or another in the league. Under such conditions, here are a few names that make the most sense for this team.
These veterans could push Mitch Trubisky in 2020
Case Keenum
Nobody is saying that Keenum is the answer to all the Bears' problems. However, the veteran journeyman deserves respect for being a pretty good football player who has produced when given a good situation. Since 2017, he's completed 65% of his passes for 8,780 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions. Good for a solid 89.8 passer rating. Not bad given that's come while playing for three different teams in three different offenses.
Keenum turns 32-years old in February so he's not over the hill compared to other veterans and he should come relatively cheap as well after failing to stick as a starter in Washington. He boasts a strong arm and isn't entirely immobile either. He'll attack down the field and isn't afraid to take the hits when necessary.
Alex Smith
The former Pro Bowler has had a long, arduous journey back from one of the worst injuries ever seen in the NFL. A nasty compound leg fracture that actually got so bad at one point that he almost had to have it amputated. It's taken two years for him to work his way back from that. Nobody knows for sure if Smith truly aims to get back on the field but the fact that he hasn't retired yet signals this is his wish.
While he remains under contract in Washington, it's unlikely he will be viewed as their starter moving forward. The team seems committed to making a go of it with Dwayne Haskins. So his eventual release feels inevitable once he's declared healthy. Smith will be 36 next May and has strong connections to Matt Nagy from their time together in Kansas City. He's known for being an extremely smart quarterback who runs the offense with great efficiency.
Not only could he push Trubisky from behind, but he would also serve as a superb mentor being a former embattled top draft choice as well.
Nick Foles
Perhaps the most enticing of the bunch would be Foles. He's had tremendous success in the offensive system the Bears run. He did win a Super Bowl in it, after all. He'll be 31-years old next year so age isn't a huge issue. If anything one would consider him ideal for what they seek. Unfortunately, things are never quite that simple in the NFL. Foles is a bit of a mystery for 2020 thanks in large part to his contract status.
He signed an $88 million deal over four years this past offseason with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The plans were for him to be their starter long-term. Then he injured his shoulder in the first game, allowing rookie Gardner Minshew to step in and excel. When Foles tried to return in November, it didn't go well. Now Jacksonville seems intent on moving forward with Minshew as their starter. This puts them in a bind. What do they do with that contract?
Obviously paying $22 million to a backup isn't the best business decision. So it's possible they might try to trade Foles, hoping someone will take the contract off their hands. That will be tricky given his value. It would likely be a deal similar to what happened with Brock Osweiler in Houston with the Browns taking the contract in addition to a 2nd round pick in the deal. If the Bears were willing to take on Foles' projected $15 million hit for 2020, they could also secure a possible extra draft choice.
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