Training camp is scheduled for July 28, and for the first time in 18 years, the Chicago Bears won’t be in Bourbonnais. And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans won’t be allowed to attend practices at Halas Hall, either. With camp approaching, let’s take an early look at who’s on the team right now.
Previous: None.
Today: Quarterbacks
The Starter: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Choose your fighter, Bears fan.
Mitchell Trubisky
• 2019 stats: 63.2 completion pct., 3,138 yards, 17 TD, 10 INT, 83.0 rating, 39.5 Total QBR, 64.3 grade from Pro Football Focus in 15 starts
Nick Foles
• 2019 stats: 65.8 completion pct., 736 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 84.6 rating, 33.6 Total QBR, 65.0 grade from PFF in 4 starts
The Backups: Tyler Bray
What to Watch For:
Can Trubisky can channel his angry energy for good? Will he be able to turn his extensive offseason work with teammates (and the QB guru who helped mold Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo) into something that translates to the practice field? If Trubisky can, then fans will rally behind him as the leader of this team ahead of Week 1.
On the other side of the coin, we’ll need to keep an eye on if Foles picks up the system quickly, makes quick connections with his new teammates, and shows a command of the offense. If he does that, then it will be the newest member of the quarterbacks room who becomes the top dog. Let the best man win.
We Really Like:
Trubisky’s athleticism, arm talent, ability to make off-platform plays, and the potential to make magic happen if everything that made him a highly ranked quarterback prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft comes together.
But we also like Foles’ experience in the system, aptitude to make big plays in crunch time, and the relatively high floor that comes with someone who knows what they’re doing within the offense.
We Might Be Worried About:
Trubisky’s inability – at this stage of his career – to fully grasp how to function in the offense. Don’t get me wrong. I love Trubisky’s capacity to make off-schedule plays. But maybe he wouldn’t need to pull a rabbit out of his hat late in games if he was better at processing things earlier in contests..
Not to leave Foles out of this part of the conversation, there are concerns regarding Foles coming off an injury-shortened season, his performance when he wasn’t playing for the Eagles, and the fact he has never played a full 16-game season as a starter.
2020 Forecast:
One year after the arrow appeared to be decidedly pointing up for Trubisky after a season in which he earned an invite to the Pro Bowl as an alternate, his play-caller earned the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, and the Bears offensive line was viewed as a fringe top-10 group, the Bears find themselves at a crossroads with the quarterback position. Again. 🙄🙄🙄
If it was possible to mesh Trubisky’s athletic traits and Foles’ processing ability into one quarterback, the Bears would be set at the position. Instead, they are left to watch these two battle it out and hope one emerges as a leader heading into Week 1. And with a shortened (eliminated?) preseason, I’m not quite sure how Chicago’s decision-makers will come to making the right call.