The Chicago Bears have been doing their homework on the 2021 quarterback draft class. Particularly in regards to every name outside the top 5 with most believing they’ll be gone before the top 10 picks are over. This is no doubt why the team felt content declaring Andy Dalton their starter for the upcoming season. The idea seems fairly straightforward at this point. Dalton will be the guy this year and they’ll draft somebody to develop behind him.
Who that ends up being is the big question. Plenty of names are getting thrown around. The two hottest of late are Davis Mills of Stanford and Kellen Mond of Texas A&M. One name that has surprisingly not been mentioned much is Kyle Trask. The Florida standout threw 43 touchdowns in 2020. He was a Heisman finalist. Yet zero buzz about him and the Bears. Well, maybe that needs to change. Especially after he revealed what he’s been doing out in California lately.
Kyle Trask says he’s been in California working out with other QBs including #Bears QB Andy Dalton.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) March 31, 2021
An interesting connection to be sure.
Does it mean the Bears are going to take Trask? Of course not. However, it does mean the Florida quarterback is getting tips from a quarterback the Bears seem to like. This could help him if and when he ends up meeting their top brass. A vital key to being drafted is about making the right impression. That is what happened with Mitch Trubisky in 2017. Being talented is one thing. Nailing the interview can prove just as vital.
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Is Trask worth it? Opinions vary. His size, touch, and accuracy are all NFL-caliber. When he’s protected, he can be surgical on defenses. The problem is teams aren’t sure about his athleticism or his arm strength. Pushing the ball down the field can be a problem and he’s not the type who is going to escape the pressure or make improvisational plays with his feet. He isn’t an easy prospect to love or hate.
Andy Dalton is a perfect mentor for somebody like Trask
Here is a man who made a career out of exceeding expectations. He had the same exact concerns surrounding him back in 2011 coming out of TCU. Modest arm strength. Not overly mobile. Yet he managed to survive almost a decade as the starter in Cincinnati and made it to three Pro Bowls. How? By being accurate and smart with the football. Believe it or not, there is more than one way to be a successful QB in the NFL.
The fact that Trask and Andy Dalton already share a prior relationship could also be significant. This would make the idea of being a starter and backup much easier. They’d be able to communicate right away since they’ve already been doing that. It comes down to what head coach Matt Nagy wants. Does he view Trask as somebody he can build an offense around?
Only he can answer that question.
Either way, the Florida standout is somebody they’ve had their eye on for months. They’ve done a ton of research on him and most likely have met with him virtually at least once. The lack of buzz about this makes it all the more intriguing. Everybody knows how much the Bears value secrecy. Trask could be somebody they’re hoping to snag in the 2nd or 3rd rounds of the draft.
