Chicago Bears should not fear playing Mitch Trubisky if he proves ready
If Mitch Trubisky proves up to the task, the Chicago Bears shouldn’t be afraid to put him on the field.
Ready or not, Mitch Trubisky will almost certainly play meaningful downs for the Chicago Bears sometime this season.
A lot of Bears fans may disagree with that. Some might even venture to say anyone who thinks that must be an idiot. So be it. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’ll probably get an opportunity to play this year, whether due to injury or because he ends up being the Bears’ best option at quarterback.
And, assuming that he can command the offense when that time arrives, the Bears should play him with no regrets. Why? Because playing scared with their franchise quarterback, even for the sake of caution, serves no one, least of all their young quarterback.
Trubisky impressing Bears early
Why bring up the prospect of Trubisky playing this year so early in the preseason? After all, the Chicago Bears even don’t start training camp for five weeks, and no one’s seen him play in pads. As fans and pundits often point out, anyone can impress people throwing routes against air while in shorts.
But there’s more to the story than just how Trubisky threw during OTAs, though he certainly did that well enough. Via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times:
"Mitch Trubisky has looked … Like a quick learner. The Bears have changed his footwork, and being under center and running huddles are new to him, but he still played like a first-round pick at times. His accuracy stood out in every practice. Training camp will provide different challenges, but the fans who see him in Bourbonnais should come away impressed."
That report doesn’t scream “start him right now!”—nor should it. But the fact that he has continued showing his skill set while diving into the playbook and adjusting his habits should encourage everyone regarding his development. By the time training camp is done, he might be more game-ready than most fans expect.
Comparatively, Mike Glennon, while asserting himself as a leader, is still learning on the field himself. To be fair, he should improve with more practice and will, barring unforeseen circumstances, earn the first crack at starting. Still, let’s not forget that he’s basically a sophomore himself in terms of actual playing time. 18 starts in the NFL, while obviously more than zero, doesn’t make Glennon seasoned. Add in his lack of contract guarantees after this season, and the Bears aren’t bound to him at all.
As such, if Trubisky keeps improving rapidly (similarly to Carson Wentz last year) and starts to overtake Glennon, the Bears may have to ask themselves difficult questions later this season.
If Trubisky’s not scared, Bears shouldn’t be either
Of course, the fear that strikes pessimistic fans in regard to their hopeful franchise quarterback centers around playing him before he’s ready. Doing so will shatter his confidence, they say. Don’t throw him into the fire, or he’ll melt. A rookie won’t last behind the Chicago Bears’ line (which gave up the 8th-fewest sacks in the league last year and helped Jordan Howard finish second in rushing yards).
And they’ll point to Cade McNown, whom the Bears drafted 12th overall, as an example of a rookie who flamed out early in his career. Or they’ll look at the litany of failed high draft picks—the Ryan Leafs and Jamarcus Russells—who couldn’t cut it.
Then, they’ll compare those players with Aaron Rodgers, who sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons, and say “look how he turned out.” Never mind that players like Wentz and Dak Prescott leap straight into the flames last season and acquitted themselves well.
That said, the way Trubisky has handled adversity in the past suggests that he’ll be just fine if he undergoes trials as a rookie. He has, of course, dealt with trying times and failure before now. He stayed prepared through two years of being a backup at North Carolina, seemingly throwing touchdowns every time he touched the field in relief. As a starter, he threw bad interceptions and got harassed, and he never folded. He battled through inexperience by accepting coaching and learning from his mistakes.
The NFL will present new obstacles, but fearing for Trubisky’s confidence if he throws a pick or gets hit hard? I can almost guarantee that a few bad plays won’t break him, even if they drive Bears fans nuts.
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All that aside, patience still makes plenty of sense for the Chicago Bears. With Glennon in place, they can groom Trubisky for as long as they want to. They could absolutely sit him for a year—maybe even two—behind Glennon if they felt like it. Yeah, they can say they hope to “win now”, but they’re still rebuilding. No one expects them to make the playoffs this season.
That said, soon enough, the opportunity to start Trubisky over Glennon will arise. And when that time comes, the Bears must be honest with themselves. If they truly deem him unprepared to execute the way they need him to, don’t play him. That WOULD be foolish. However, a more likely scenario is that Trubisky’s development realistically merits a shot in regular season action if Glennon gets hurt or plays poorly. And if that happens, they must allow him that chance without hesitation. Not doing so could arguably stunt his growth rather than protect him.
They can’t play scared, and they can’t handle this situation irrationally. Ultimately, fear can get people fired just as betting on the wrong franchise quarterback can. If Mitch Trubisky is ready to seize his opportunity, let him show what he can do with it.