Typically when a quarterback competition happens in the NFL, it becomes clear who the favorite is pretty early. For the Chicago Bears in 2020 though? It seems like experts and fans are genuinely divided down the middle. Some believe Nick Foles, the new arrival from Jacksonville wasn’t just brought in to sit on the bench. They expect him to start. Others feel he is nothing more than expensive motivation. Somebody meant to scare Mitch Trubisky into playing sharper.
So where does Jeff Saturday fall on this debate? The former two-time All-Pro center and member of the 2006 Super Bowl champion Colts knows something about good quarterbacks. He played with Peyton Manning for 12 years, got stuck with Curtis Painter in 2011, then ended his career snapping to Aaron Rodgers in 2012. He’s seen the full spectrum of great to awful. When he looks at the Bears’ competition, the answer is obvious. He expressed it on a recent episode of NFL Live.
“They are (Trubisky’s team). Listen, it’s his job to lose. This is the thing. I get Nick Foles is coming in. I understand from a guy who came in as an undrafted rookie free agent, every year they’re trying to draft somebody to replace you. Quarterbacks, it usually doesn’t happen to them. He’s fighting for his job.
But Nick Foles, set aside his Super Bowl run with the Eagles, his career hasn’t been — he’s just not a complete starter in the NFL. I’m glad Trubisky is saying, ‘I’m pissed off in a good way. I’m willing to work. I’m going to make this my team.’”
Saturday’s stance on Nick Foles isn’t all that surprising
The truth is nobody would take Foles seriously in this battle under normal circumstances. Most of his career is pockmarked with long stints as a backup and average play as a starter in stops with the Rams and Jaguars. There are two reasons why he has so many believes. His 2013 season where he threw 27 touchdowns in 10 games and his 2017 season where he stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz and led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl title.
Saturday’s skepticism is easy to understand. He just doesn’t know which is the real Foles. The one who got white hot during his stints in Philly or the one who got benched twice and has never started a full season in his career? This is why the former center is riding with Trubisky. He knows the system. He has established connections to the other offensive players. Most importantly? He’s managed to start at least 14 games each of the past two years. Something Foles has never done once in his career.
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