2020 NFL Season of Chicago Bears: The Quarterback Competition
Amidst the Bears Quarterback Competition, Matt Nagy has come out and said that he won’t announce who the Bears Starting Quarterback is, and that we’ll find out next week. He thinks that gives his team the competitive advantage, as the Lions won’t know who to prepare for,, Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles. The truth is, there’s enough tape on both these below average Quarterbacks, for the Lions not to be worried either way. After all, this isn’t a Quarterback competition between the Second coming of Steve Young and Joe Montana. This Quarterback competition is more like the second coming of the 2015 New York Jets, Geno Smith v.s. Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The shadow Trubisky will never get rid of:
Part of the problem with Mitch Trubisky, isn’t exactly his skill set or ability. It’s what the Bears gave up to move up just one spot to get him. When you swap the number 3 Overall pick in the draft for the number 2 Overall Pick, plus add in 3 more draft picks just to move up one spot, the Quarterback you traded for better be a Star. Unfortunately for the Bears, they have been learning the hard way that while Trubisky is serviceable, he’s far from being a Star. Trubisky’s production is more conducive of a player that was drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round not the 2nd Pick in the entire NFL Draft. I don’t really blame Trubisky. I blame the Bears and their G.M. Ryan Pace. Trubisky didn’t pick himself, and it’s not his fault that he was picked where he was picked. He will never live up to being the 2nd Pick in the Draft. That’s the shadow that will follow Trubisky for the rest of his NFL Career.
Patrick Mahomes & Deshaun Watson:
These two names are painful to just read for the very proud and loyal Chicago Bears fan-base. It will forever haunt them that they got the worst of the three Quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Watson has already displayed stretches of being a future league MVP. Mahomes has already been a League MVP, a Super-Bowl Champion and Super-Bowl MVP. Mahomes is also the face of the NFL and it’s best player. He’s also received the biggest contract in NFL history. When you compare Trubisky to his two 2017 NFL Draft contemporaries, his resume and play, pales in comparison and that’s putting it lightly. The best way I can put it is like this. Think of the historic 2004 NFL Draft Quarterback Class with Eli Manning (1st Overall), Philip Rivers (4th Overall), Ben Roethlisberger (11th Overall), and also featured Matt Schaub in the 3rd Round, who would later become a serviceable and solid Starting Quarterback. In this Scenario the Bears 2017 NFL Draft selection of Mitch Trubisky is the equivalent of taking Matt Schaub over Eli, Rivers, and Roethlisberger in the 2004 Draft. Mitch Trubisky is Matt Schaub. There’s nothing wrong with that, except that you don’t take a Matt Schaub type Quarterback over two future Star and possible Hall of Fame Quarterbacks. The Bears did just that when they passed up Mahomes, and Watson for Trubisky.
Potentially wasting a great Defense:
Another obvious problem with the inconsistent play of Mitch Trubisky, is the fact that his ineptitude has held back a Championship Caliber defense. Take it from the Jacksonville Jaguars. You can have all the right pieces on Offense and Defense, but if the guy that touches the ball on every play, your supposed Franchise Quarterback, is a “fugazi”, then your Franchise is in trouble. That’s where the Bears are right now “Quarterback Purgatory”. It won’t matter who wins this Quarterback competition if neither player plays at the very least, an average level. Judging by both Quarterbacks NFL track records to date, that’s a lot to ask for, and it looks like the Bears will have another Season of a great Defense wasted on slightly below Average Quarterback play.
Matt Nagy:
It almost seems blatantly obvious that Matt Nagy does not care or want to coach Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky is not his style or “his guy”. Nick Foles is Nagy’s “guy”. That’s why Foles was brought in for. A coach that believes in the high profile Draft pick, Mitch Trubisky, doesn’t bring in competition for the Starting job, and he certainly doesn’t hold off on naming a starter if he was completely behind his young signal caller. The bottom line is, if Nick Foles doesn’t separate himself in camp/practice, Matt Nagy will not be happy, because the only reason Foles is on the Bears roster, is because Nagy wants him to be the Starter.
Ryan Pace:
For all the good moves Ryan Pace does make, including in Free Agency and in Trades, he will forever be defined for his part in Drafting Mitchell Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Part of the Chicago Bears Quarterback competition will hinge on the pride of Pace. His pride and reputation are on the line because of his selection and prior faith in Mitch Trubisky. With that in mind, a great question should be asked. Will Ryan Pace force Trubisky onto coach Matt Nagy?(who clearly does not want to coach him and be his Starter), or will he admit his mistake and let Nagy name his true preference at the Quarterback Position, Nick Foles?
Nick Foles:
For all the excitement and hype Nick Foles gets because of his one Super-Bowl run, he’s been a below average Starting Quarterback for every team he’s played for, not named the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, because of his familiarity with Matt Nagy from his Kansas City Chief days, Foles might have the upper hand in the Quarterback competition. Foles was brought in because Nagy wants him as the Starter and chances are he will be the Starter.
4,000 Yard Passer:
4,000 is an interesting number for the Chicago Bears. It’s a number no Quarterback that has ever played for them has ever seen nor achieved. In their 100 years of existence, the Chicago Bears have never had a 4,000 Yard Passer. Their the only team in NFL history with that level of unimpressive ineptitude. That right there tells you all you need to know about their history at the position. Except for Sid Luckman, this Franchise has never had a reputable or true Franchise Starting Quarterback. Unless you want to count Jay Cutler (sorry Bears Fans). At the end of the day whether it’s Trubisky Starting or Foles Starting, or a combination of both, Bears fans shouldn’t hold their breath on breaking their unimpressive streak of never having a 4,000 yard passer. It won’t happen in 2020. More than likely after 2020, the Bears will go back to the Drawing board, and by Seasons end, much like the Jacksonville Jaguars, will most likely have a high enough Draft Pick in 2021 to select either Justin Fields, or Trey Lance. The bottom line is the Quarterback competition in Chicago doesn’t matter, because the Bears future at the position isn’t on the current roster and that’s plainly obvious.
Jeffrey Genao is a Writer and Contributor for Top Level Sports. You can Read more of his Content at Top Level Sports. You can also Follow his Publication Below:
