As the Chicago Bears prepare to take on the New Orleans Saints in the Super WIld Card game, reports are out that indicate quarterback Mitch Trubisky won’t return in 2021 barring a long playoff run.
Today the Chicago Bears take on the New Orleans Saints in the Super Wild Card game. It is their second playoff appearance in three years. Hopefully, they have a better result today than they did in 2018. As the Bears prepare for the game, reports came out that indicate starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, barring a long playoff run, won’t return in 2021.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the news on NFL Gameday Morning.
From @NFLGameDay: #Bears QB Mitch Trubisky, who has played better lately, still has a lot to prove to be Chicago’s QB of the future. It begins today. pic.twitter.com/lrIm8eEeQ0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 10, 2021
The Bears might have already given an indication that they’re ready to move on from Trubisky. They declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option this past offseason. They wanted to see how he played this season before making another investment on him.
Trubisky has been a lightning rod for controversy since the moment the Bears drafted him in 2017. General manager Ryan Pace traded key draft assets in order to move up from the third pick to ensure he got his man in Trubisky. Pace took a lot of grief when he made the move and has taken even more grief as time passed. That criticism grew as two quarterbacks taken after Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, experienced success while Trubisky struggled.
Trubisky started the first three games of the season but struggled to play a full game in each game. After a bad interception starting the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, head coach Matt Nagy benched him. Nick Foles, acquired in the offseason for a fourth round pick, took over.
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After Foles got injured in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, Trubisky became the starter again. He improved, albeit against weak teams. He had a good December. He led the Bears to a 3-1 record, and the offense scored 30+ points in each game. The improvement gave the Bears a chance to make the playoffs. Now they face the Saints and it looks to be a must-game for Trubisky to attempt to save his career in Chicago.
This could be an offseason full of change for the Chicago Bears. Pace put his job on the line by taking Trubisky. With the franchise looking to part ways with the quarterback, ownership may part ways with the guy who brought him to Chicago. Nagy was on the hot seat a month ago after the team suffered a six game losing streak, but with the improvement of the offense he likey survives another season.
Besides Trubisky, the Bears could also lose their top wide receiver, Allen Robinson. Robinson is in the final season of his contract and hoped the Bears rewarded his good play with a new contract, but the team broke negotiations a couple of weeks into the season. Now his return is in doubt.
This may be a different looking team when 2021 rolls around. If Trubisky doesn’t return, the Bears need to reset and go through the draft in an attempt to get it right. They should be a busy team this offseason. Let’s hope that offseason begins later than we think.
