Predicting what is going to happen to the Chicago Bears 2021 team is impossible at this stage. If for no other reason then there is no telling who will even be in charge. GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are both on the hot seat. Even team president Ted Phillips is surrounded by rumors of either retirement, dismissal, or reassignment.
This is why having discussions about things like who the quarterback will be are kind of pointless. Mostly because the guys making the decisions on that may change by next month. However, this doesn’t stop people from speculating. It’s obvious the Bears need fresh blood at QB. So who might they consider targeting next spring?
Plenty of options exist, but who is the right one?
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report explored the top quarterbacks of the 2021 draft in his recent scouting notebook. He broke down each one in terms of what they did best, what they did worst, what scouts are saying about them, and which teams might fit them well. From the information he gathered, one name seemed to stand out.
“5. Kyle Trask, Florida
Fits: Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons
Best Traits: Field vision, processing speed, accuracy, football IQ, NFL readiness
Scout’s Take: “Very scheme-specific player. Can win from the pocket and has a good arm. Best asset is his vision and putting the ball in a spot his guys can make a play on it. Lack of mobility is going to be the biggest knock.” — Former NFL general manager”
Trask has really exploded for Florida this season. In just 10 games he has 40 TD passes with just five interceptions and 3,717 yards. Doing that by itself is impressive. Doing it in the SEC is noteworthy. Miller pointed out that Trask has the accuracy and quick processor needed for the NFL and might be the most pro-ready in the entire draft class not named Trevor Lawrence.
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Trask makes sense as the Chicago Bears 2021 QB of choice
If the Bears do plan to go get a quarterback, there is no doubt the preferable scenario is finding one who can play right away. Trask fits the profile. His connection to the Indianapolis Colts further proves this. They run an offense similar to Chicago. No surprise with Frank Reich having ties to Doug Pederson, who has ties to Nagy. All those men see the game the same way as former quarterbacks themselves. So somebody like Trask would appeal to them.
The best part is there is a strong chance he’ll be available when they pick in the draft. Projections indicate he’ll go somewhere in the middle of the 1st round to the top of the 2nd round. Chicago is currently slated to pick 15th next year. That puts them right in the sweet spot of where Trask should be available without having to “reach” for him.
All this being said, there are reasons to be cautious.
History suggests Florida quarterbacks never seem to translate well to the NFL. Of the eight quarterbacks drafted from that university, none have started more than three seasons in the league. That was…gulp…Rex Grossman. Chicago drafted him in 2003 and he eventually helped them to the Super Bowl in 2006. Yet nobody would ever call him anything close to a franchise QB.
Couple this with Trask’s well-documented lack of athleticism and okay-not-great arm strength? He has a lot to overcome in order to prove he can be the man for somebody. If the Chicago Bears 2021 plans do end up including him? They better have a plan for how best to get the most from his ability.