It’s difficult to understand how the Chicago Bears are handling Mitch Trubisky at this point. Nobody is saying he should be the starter right now. Well some people are but most are cautionary. What they are insisting on is that the team give him more meaningful snaps in the upcoming preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. See how he operates with the second team against better defenders. Instead the John Fox Trubisky plan remains unchanged.
Bears HC John Fox on whether the QB order will be Glennon-Sanchez-Trubisky vs ARI: "I think I've answered that, like, 20 times. But, yes."
— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) August 18, 2017
By all accounts the Bears will operate exactly how they did in the opener against Denver. Mike Glennon will get the first-team snaps. Then Mark Sachez will come in and Trubisky will finish up. The only difference this time is Glennon will likely see more action. Perhaps as much as the first half. This could mean Trubisky gets even less time to play.
Not exactly the ideal developmental mode of operation. Then again, it’s right in line with what Fox has stated from the beginning. The goal is to keep Trubisky on the bench and go with Glennon as the starter. So the next question to ask is why?
John Fox Trubisky procedure feels like reaction to past experience
The reason may center around a traumatic experience Fox had about seven years ago. Back in 2010 he was in a familiar spot. His job was on the line with the Carolina Panthers after a difficult season the year before. He needed to get the team going in the right direction. A key way to do that was propping up the QB position. Their solution? Drafting a young kid out of Notre Dame named Jimmy Clausen.
He was the highest draft choice under Fox during his entire tenure with the organization. It was felt the young man had the chops to run the type of offense they preferred. Under pressure from all sides, Fox decided the start the rookie second rounder after just two regular season game.
It didn’t go well.
Clausen played 13 games total that year. He completed 52.5% of his passes for 1,558 yards, three touchdowns and nine interceptions. At one point he went six-straight appearances without a TD pass. The Panthers imploded to a 2-14 record and Fox was fired. That marked the only time in his career he’d started a rookie QB.
So this has the feel of a “fool me once” situation. Fox has never been entirely open to playing rookies period. Considering the last time he played one at QB cost him his job, it’s a bit more understandable why he’s resisting the urge with all his might now.
