Despite Nick Foles‘ superior NFL resume, the Bears are likely to start the season without a change at quarterback. Mitchell Trubisky is expected to start Chicago’s Week 1 game in Detroit after beating out Foles in a training camp competition, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
This comes after a recent report indicated Foles was the more accurate passer during Bears camp, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (video link). But Trubisky was also reported to be improving. The Bears will give the former No. 2 overall pick another shot, despite not picking up his fifth-year option and trading for Foles this offseason.
Trubisky has been one of the NFL’s more maligned players over the course of his Chicago tenure. While he rated as QBR’s No. 3 passer in 2018 — when the Bears made a surprise run to the NFC North title — Trubisky regressed considerably in 2019. The former one-year North Carolina starter ranked 28th in QBR last season and averaged just 5.9 adjusted yards per attempt, prompting the Bears to acquire Foles from the Jaguars.
Foles, 31, did not fare particularly well last season either. After a broken collarbone sidelined him for much of his Jaguars debut/one-and-done season, Gardner Minshew supplanted him shortly after he returned to action. However, Foles orchestrated one of the best playoff stretches by a quarterback in NFL history in 2017, winning Super Bowl LII MVP honors. He then helped the Eagles back to the playoffs the following season, after replacing an injured Carson Wentz late in 2018. Foles’ Eagles beat Trubisky’s Bears in a wild-card game, though that contest is better known for Cody Parkey‘s game-ending missed field goal.
The Bears reworked Foles’ contract this offseason, but the veteran passer would still be a costly cut in 2021. A Foles release would not create any cap space for the Bears, and it would cost more than $10MM. But Trubisky is not under contract in 2021. He will, however, have a chance to bounce back in a contract year — at least at the season’s outset.
Nick Foles will be in by the second half of the first game.
somebody has to give Foles a real chance. He wasnt able to get into a grove last year and then the Jags refused to bench Minshew, whose numbers fell off after a few good games. let Foles get into a groove and he can be a good starter.
He’ll get an opportunity if Trubisky struggles or gets hurt. I understand Foles got shafted a bit in Jacksonville, but he also got outplayed. He received a chance to start even after recovering from his injury, yet continued to struggle. Sure, you can argue the supporting cast was less than stellar. On the other hand, we haven’t seen Foles elevate the team around him beyond Philadelphia. He wasn’t exactly Joe Montana with the Rams and even throughout his second stint with the Eagles, only really played well in the postseason. If he wants a starting job, he needs to earn it with visual evidence
Was the wrong system for him in Jacksonville
Yes. The system the Bears are running IS the system Foles was in when he won Super Bowl MVP. Also the same set of coaches in Philly at the time our now with the Bears.
Trubisky will get pulled after 1 bad performance.
Dark eagle, the Jags and the Bears both decided that Foles was worse than their iffy QBs. Foles is Jeff Hostetler incarnate: he got hot and took his team to a SB win.
The heart is bigger than the talent.
Bests could use some heart. Would spark the rest of the team. Just saying
Wow wow who’s ever making that choice should be fired on the spot
Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you had access to the Chicago training camp and assessed the quarterback competition from the outset. In all seriousness, how do you know Trubisky didn’t simply outplay Foles in training camp?
Perhaps case7187 saw him play when it counts….in the games. Lots of great players in practice, even Nathan Peterman can excel when it don’t matter.
Why have a competition then? If you’ve already decided the starter based on prior experience, the incumbent wouldn’t need to bother trying. The Cowboys recently cut Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix. Should they have kept him strictly because he was successful in the past? Besides, Trubisky has shown flashes in seasons prior as well. I’m not saying he’s an exceptional quarterback, but he did post the 3rd best QBR in 2018. He’s only been in the league three seasons and deserves another shot to prove himself. If he fails, so be it. Foles will get his chance
@hersch
What games? None have been played. Its called competition. You are going on last seasons games? If so what about Foles games?
Get a clue!
Yeah, also fire that guy who decided that Lou Gehrig was an everyday/every year player while you’re at it.
@case
Bases upon what information
Dumb. Mitch has to many happy feet issues. If his first read isn’t there he’s toast
The Bears simply don’t have an OL that allows a QB the time to explore multiple options, so anyone they put behind center is probably going to have some happy feet issues.
Great. Here comes 7-9 if they get lucky.
Nobody in Chicago will care about that if the Cubs and White Sox can hookup for a World Series showdown.
There were no exhibition games this season, so this is basically a move by the Bears to showcase Trubisky for a few games, hoping he does well enough to attract some trade interest.
Short leash. I bet it’ll be an ugly Game 1 win and the come the second half of Game 2, in cones Foles.