Chicago Bears: 5 things to watch in second preseason game

Deja vu all over again

Unfortunately, don’t expect Trubisky to do a whole heck of a lot Thursday. In fact, if he plays more than two series, that would be surprising. However, just because he isn’t playing much doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to watch for.

I feel like I should offer a trigger warning here and let you know I’ll be discussing John Fox and last year’s offense. If you recall, Fox and Dowell Loggains put the handcuffs on Trubisky — especially in the beginning.

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Yet, there were a number of ways to evaluate his progress and growth, despite being held in check. On Thursday, fans should take note of many of those same things in evaluating Trubisky.

For starters, how does he look getting in and out of the huddle? There has been talk this week that he is becoming more comfortable with Nagy’s offense, especially with the play calls. Apparently, some of the play calls can be very lengthy.

So watch whether he can get the play, deliver it to the huddle, and get to the line of scrimmage without incident. That may seem trivial, but it would actually be a great sign that he is starting to master this offense.

Also, keep an eye on how he gets through his progressions. At times last season, Trubisky got himself in trouble by holding on to the football too long. There were instances where a decisive throw would have resulted in a completion, but Trubisky didn’t pull the trigger. There has been greater emphasis placed on Trubisky getting the ball out faster, which means going through his progressions more quickly.

Finally, watch how Trubisky checks out of plays at the line of scrimmage based on defensive alignment. Again, Trubisky was extremely limited in what he was allowed to do last year. This season, he will be expected to take command of the offense, and check-into plays if the situation calls for it.

So while you may not see him flash the arm a ton, there is still plenty to keep an eye on with respect to No. 10.