Mitchell Trubisky’s future is very much in doubt with the Bears following a season of regression in 2019.
With the deadline to exercise Trubisky’s fifth-year option fast approaching, the Bears have an important decision to make before May.
General manager Ryan Pace has publicly committed to Trubisky as Chicago’s starter heading into 2020. Although things can always change between now and the start of the season.
Given that we’re to assume that Trubisky will be the Bears’ starting quarterback come Week 1, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell says it only makes sense for the Bears to pick up Trubisky’s fifth-year option.
With that in mind, if you’re operating under the assumption that Trubisky is the Week 1 starter for the Bears, it makes little sense to decline his fifth-year option. The chances of him breaking out as a guy worth a second contract, at least to Pace, are almost certainly higher than the chances he’ll suffer the sort of injury which prevents him from passing a physical and keeps the Bears on the hook for a quarterback they don’t want in 2021.
Barnwell also pointed out that Pace has been in a similar situation before with cornerback Kyle Fuller, who like Trubisky was thought to be an afterthought before Fuller’s breakout season in 2017.
The Bears declined Kyle Fuller’s fifth-year option before the 2017 season, but when the 2014 first-rounder finally put things together and had an above-average run, the team didn’t have Fuller under contract for a fifth year in 2018. Instead of having Fuller on a below-market deal for one season, Chicago ended up matching a Packers offer sheet which made the corner one of the highest-paid players at his position.
Not to say Trubisky will pan out like Fuller did. Honestly, if Trubisky ended up becoming an All-Pro at his position like Fuller did, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. No matter the cost.
If Trubisky is entering training camp as the incumbent starter, as is presumed, it only makes sense to exercise the fifth-year option. If the Bears don’t, they’re basically confirming Trubisky won’t be the guy beyond 2020. While that might ultimately prove to be true, they won’t bail on him so quickly.
Not to mention, the Bears can always pull the fifth-year option before the start of the new league year in 2021, as it’s only guaranteed by injury.
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