The Chicago Bears know what's ahead of them at this point going into 2020. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy have to figure out what the hell happened to their offense. One that is set to finish among the worst in the NFL for the 2019 season. Of course, those questions will start at the quarterback position. Mitch Trubisky will finish with fewer yards, fewer touchdowns, and possibly as many or more interceptions as he had last season depending on the finale against Minnesota.
Their decision must come down to a simple question. Was the offensive collapse more about his personal failures or the failures of those around him? There continues to be a raging debate on that subject between fans. Many think a piss poor tight end position, banged up offensive line, and erratic play calling all contributed to Trubisky struggling. Others argue that the quarterback being so inconsistent exacerbates those other issues even more.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune put it best. The Bears can't hedge their bets on this. Either they decide it wasn't Trubisky who was the problem or it was. There cannot be any half-measures when it comes to the quarterback position.
"Then the Bears need to determine whether they want to proceed with Mitch Trubisky as the unquestioned starter in 2020 or replace him. The Bears can’t go halfway with this decision — I don’t believe it would make sense to find a veteran with limited starting experience to compete in a duel weighed heavily in Trubisky’s favor. They either need to commit to replacing Trubisky or circle the wagons and do some heavy lifting with the personnel around him and hope things begin to click in Year 4."
Chicago Bears won't get results with cheap competition
Does anybody honestly think signing a veteran quarterback in free agency will push Trubisky to play better? Adding affordable options like Case Keenum, Eli Manning, or Philip Rivers isn't going to convince anybody. Manning and Rivers are past their primes by a mile and Keenum is a high-end backups who's had some decent stretches when starting. None of those guys can possibly be called legitimate threats, even to Trubisky at this point.
Often the best way to get a rise out of a quarterback in a competition is with an actual move that sends a message he's about to be replaced. Alex Smith is a perfect example. In 2011, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Colin Kaepernick in the 2nd round. Up to that point, Smith had been terrible in his career with a 72.1 passer rating in 54 games. He responded to the newfound threat with his best season to date, throwing for over 3,100 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions with a 90.7 passer rating. San Francisco went to the NFC championship.
A few years later, it happened again when the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes in the 1st round in 2017. Smith topped 4,000 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. If the Chicago Bears hope to get a rise out of Trubisky, they have to be serious about the idea of replacing him or not at all. Drafting a QB with one of their 2nd round picks or using them to trade for one are the best courses of action.
Either that or say Trubisky is the guy and spend every nickel available to bolster the offense around him.
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