When the 2020 Chicago Bears open their training camp at Halas Hall in late-July, the biggest storyline will be the starting quarterback competition between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles. Foles at the moment appears to be both the fan’s and media’s choice to win the battle given his close ties to the coaching staff. Although the veteran looks like the ideal quarterback to start the season for the Bears, it is Trubisky that may be better for the team in the long run past this season.
The main reason why so many people are excited about Foles’ potential as the starting quarterback is due to his experience playing with Matt Nagy and other coaches on the Bears offense. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo coached the veteran quarterback during their time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. Lazor was the Eagles’ quarterback coach and offensive coordinator in 2013 when Foles threw for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions. His stellar performance earned him Pro-Bowl honors at the end of 2013. Defilippo was the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator last season and worked with Foles also.
It is this reason why many believe Foles will be the starter and be successful for the Bears in 2020. Head coach Matt Nagy’s goal is to have more of a consistent offense to allow Chicago’s vaunted defense to play with a lead, something they were unable to do back in 2019. The problem is that if the former Pro-Bowl quarterback is successful and leads the Bears back to the playoffs in 2020, the team’s quarterback will be solved for just one season.
Foles will turn 32 in January of next year, and although he will still be under contract for two more seasons, there is no guarantee that of a repeat performance. This could lead the Bears to have quarterback issues for future seasons as they will be without Trubisky or a groomed quarterback. General manager Ryan Pace did not select a quarterback in this year’s draft as the Bears do not have a rookie quarterback being groomed for the future. As fun as it will be to see the Bears back in the playoffs in 2020, their quarterback position will not be solidified after 2020.
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This is where Trubisky comes in as he will have every chance to win the quarterback battle once training camp starts. The incumbent quarterback is in the last year of his rookie contract as the team declined his fifth-year option. If Trubisky is successful, it is better for Chicago in the long run. The Pace and the organization could justify signing Trubisky to a long-term deal if he proves to be successful in 2020. It would solidify the quarterback position with a younger and more mobile quarterback also.
Trubisky has yet to take the next step that has been seen by other quarterbacks from the 2017 draft class, including Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. The Bears’ fourth-year quarterback had the worst season of his career in 2019 as he posted a completion percentage of 63 and averaged just 209 passing yards per game. Furthermore, Trubisky failed to read defenses consistently and posted the lowest rushing totals of his short career.
Given how inconsistent and inaccurate Trubisky was in 2019, the team still finished with .500 record, even though they finished towards the bottom of most offensive categories. If the young quarterback’s worst season resulted in the team finishing 8-8, it’s intriguing to know just how good they can be if he makes the jump that has been expected. Even with the smallest of improvements by Trubisky, along with Chicago’s defense, the Bears can easily have a double-digit win total.
Looking beyond 2020, if the team were to re-sign Trubisky to a long-term deal, it may be the confidence boost that he has finally needed. Many forget that for as bad as he was in 2019, the Bears starter had four games in which he threw for three touchdowns. If Foles is named the starter and succeeds in 2020, the Bears still would need to utilize a high draft pick on a quarterback or bring on another veteran quarterback as an insurance policy.
The main goal is to have the best quarterback that gives Chicago the ability to capitalize on the Super Bowl window that has been opened by their defense. Although the main focus is on 2020, Chicago’s defense could still be dominant in 2021 and 2022 with the core of young players they have. As fans and the media believe Foles can help the team win in 2020, there is no certainty he can do the same in years to come. Trubisky may not be popular now, but if he can finally find his success this year, it will be better for the Bears and the city in the long-run.
