After an unexpected 2018 season that ended prematurely, the Chicago Bears entered the following year with a lackadaisical approach. In what was expected to be a Super Bowl season, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky took exactly three snaps — with zero passes — in one preseason game before the 2019 regular season.
And his lack of reps showed instantly in the opener against Green Bay, which appeared to be a foreshadowing for his entire year. Trubisky opened a lot of eyes last year in a negative way. The Bears’ franchise quarterback, who general manager Ryan Pace mortgaged his house in the Hamptons and his first newborn for, laid an egg last year.
It’s not shocking why the Bears declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option, but he’ll have an opportunity to replicate his 2018 season, as head coach Matt Nagy is reportedly going to play his guys in the preseason.
Bears HC Matt Nagy saying that guys will likely play more in preseason games this year, and that that is the best place to evaluate the quarterback competition. Nagy also said it might mean more 11 on 11 in practices to evaluate competition at all positions.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) May 15, 2020
Obviously, this year carries more weight because of the impending quarterback battle between Trubisky and Nick Foles. However, preseason – much like spring training in baseball – provides a risk-free opportunity to work on things.
The other end of that is exposing your starters to injuries, but the importance of physically carrying out reps and things you work on in practice cannot be quantified. It was mind-boggling last year why Trubisky and several other starters saw no snaps in the exhibition games.
Rather, they were thrown into the fire in a rivalry game. Assuming the 2020 season goes on as planned, the Bears should be in a much better position for the regular season with Nagy’s revised approach.
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