Pretty much every Chicago Bears fan is under the same assumption at this point. This is the last hurrah of Mitch Trubisky. He’ll start the season and probably end up disappointing in the end. A final reminder of what they missed out on with Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. This is why many are already discussing which quarterback the team will take in the 1st round next year.
The common name everybody brings up is Trey Lance of North Dakota State. However, draft expert Matt Miller of Bleacher Report doesn’t believe the Bears will be nearly high enough to grab him. In conducting his first notable 2021 mock draft, he had Chicago picking 17th. That means a likely finish of around 7-9 this season. A common record prediction for them.
In an awkward spot, Miller instead sees the Bears addressing the offense in a different way. By selecting Michigan offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield.
“The biggest non-quarterback need comes along the offensive line, where the tackle position hasn’t been prioritized enough. Upgrading over Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie makes sense from a football, salary-cap and roster-age perspective. If the Bears can do so in Round 1, it’s an easy pick.
Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield has opted out for the season, but his experience on the Wolverines offensive line and his traits as a mover and blocker are Round 1-caliber. He’s a plug-and-play upgrade on the Chicago line.”
Chicago Bears still do get a quarterback though
Does this mean the Bears ignore QB altogether? Not at all. Miller has them going to that well in the 2nd round. His choice? Kyle Trask of Florida. The 22-year old was a bit of a surprise last season, stepping in for the injured Feleipe Franks to throw for 2,941 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. At 6’5 he has the NFL size coupled with one of the strongest arms in the class.
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Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN currently views him as the fifth-best QB in the class with lots of upside.
If I’d have had a 5-A, it would have been Kyle Trask. He’s one of those guys, his size, the ability to make all of the throws, Kadarius Toney out there every week with (Trevon) Grimes and the receivers they have. (Kyle) Pitts is a great tight end. There’s no question about that.
“He’s got receiving entities even though they lost some, Van Jefferson being the main guy. With his arm talent and the way he sees the field, he should be better.”
Some though have reservations about Trask, feeling he’s too conservative and benefited most from a great array of weapons. It’s fortunate that he’ll have a chance to keep playing this year even as many colleges choose to shut down rather than play in a COVID-19 landscape. Perhaps he will answer more questions in the coming months.