Chicago Bears: QB competition gets real on Monday

Things get real for the Chicago Bears on Monday.

Up till this point, the Chicago Bears‘ much-anticipated quarterback battle has been much ado about nothing. Fans have been frothing at the mouth all offseason awaiting the start of camp, but with the impact of COVID-19, things have been very anticlimactic.

That is all very likely to change starting this coming Monday. The reason is because that is the first time that the media will be allowed to attend practice and will have an opportunity to report back to fans how Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles look.

Until now, we have received a very sanitized version of his things are going from the Bears’ staff. We’ve heard how they’re both preparing, and studying the playbook, and working on timing with the wide receivers. Yawn.

But all eyes will be laser-focused on both QBs as the scrutiny gets ratcheted up on Monday. It’ll really be the first dose of “pressure” (if you want to call it) that the signal-callers will face.

It will begin a period in which the media will have access to 15 practices. While some may scoff at the idea that you can learn anything through intrasquad practices, think back to last year’s preseason.

Although fans did not want to hear it at the time, the myriad of reports coming out of camp that Trubisky looked awful against the first defensive unit, proved to be foreshadowing.

In retrospect, we all should have listened to what we were hearing. Yes, neither quarterback will be tested in a game setting, but this extremely talented defense will throw a number of exotic looks at each player. It will become readily apparent if Mitch’s biggest weakness — reading defenses — is still that.

Yes, he may hold the advantage of familiarity with the team and the wide receivers. He may also hold the title of the incumbent. But it will not be very difficult to learn whether he has improved in all the necessary ways, regardless of the lack of preseason games.

So as Monday draws near, we will all likely be staring intently at our phones for the first reports of how each competitor looks. Let the debate intensify.