Tag: Trubisky fifth year option

When it comes to Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace, his actions speak louder than his words. Case in point, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who Pace said would be the Bears’ starting quarterback in 2020.

But his actions said otherwise. How he repeatedly passed over questions about Trubisky’s fifth-year option. How he traded for quarterback Nick Foles. How he declined Trubisky’s option.

Still, Pace hasn’t wavered in his public support of Trubisky. Even just days after choosing not to exercise Trubisky’s fifth-year option, Pace insisted that the franchise still believes in Trubisky.

“We’ve always had the approach that we’re honest and we’re truthful with our players and our staff, and we move on and we get to work. …” Pace said on Bears All-Access. “Mitch gets it. Everyone’s competing. Everyone’s focused on better results. That’s the entire team. That starts with me and everybody.

“We believe in Mitch — that doesn’t change.”

Obviously the hope is that Trubisky becomes the quarterback Pace thought he was when he traded up to draft him No. 2 overall. Following three seasons, Trubisky has flashed potential but continues to struggle with the basics of being an NFL quarterback.

While it’s certainly the best case scenario that Trubisky figures things out, it’s not necessarily the assumption at this point. Still, it can happen. We’ve seen it happen with another player on this Bears roster.

Cornerback Kyle Fuller has become a top-15 cornerback in the NFL, but there was a time when it appeared he was going to be just another first-round bust. So, naturally, Pace didn’t pick up Fuller’s fifth-year option. But Fuller was able to turn things around in his fourth year, where he posted career highs in pass deflections and tackle. Fuller was signed to the Green Bay Packers’ offer sheet, but the Bears instead matched it with a four-year contract extension.

“I think you can point to [cornerback] Kyle Fuller as a great example of a player that didn’t get his option exercised. I think we would say it worked out well for him and for us.”

While no one believes in Trubisky right now, he has the opportunity to win the starting quarterback job and prove all of the doubters wrong. And, if that does happen, everyone wins.

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The deadline for the Chicago Bears to exercise quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s fifth-year option is just three days away. While general manager Ryan Pace hasn’t declined the option yet, it still doesn’t look good for the beleaguered Bears quarterback.

Look no further than Pace’s actions, which have said the words that he’s failed to say. The Bears traded a fourth-round pick for quarterback Nick Foles, who has experience in a Matt Nagy-type offense. Which is important, especially considering the uncertainty of NFL offseason training and the 2020 NFL season, which is currently still set to take place. The stars — or offense, in this case — appear to be aligning for Foles to win the starting quarterback job in 2020.

But even more telling is how Pace has handled discussion about Trubisky’s option. He’s been asked on every occasion following the 2019 season — the post-season press conference, the NFL Scouting Combine presser, the pre-NFL Draft press conference — about whether or not they’re picking up the option, and he’s put it off every time.

We have until May 4 to make that decision, he would say.

Well, Pace, that deadline is just a couple short days away. And it’s time to make that decision — one which is pretty easy to read at this point — crystal clear. Even during the NFL Draft, Adam Schefter reported that the Bears weren’t believed to be exercising Trubisky’s option.

So, basically, the only thing that will be surprising is if the Bears actually do pick up Trubisky’s option.

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With the new collective bargaining agreement, fifth-year option changes are coming. No longer will fifth-year options be guaranteed by injury only — they’ll now be fully guaranteed if the option is exercised.

For the Bears, they’re in the final year where that rule doesn’t apply. So, if the Bears choose to pick up Trubisky’s option, it would only be guaranteed for injury. After all, we’ve seen Pace exercise the option and rescind it on outside Leonard Floyd, who the Bears parted ways with just prior to the start of the new league year.

Trubisky had his worst season as a pro last season. There were a number of issues on the Bears offense, but perhaps none more concerning than Trubisky’s regression — especially in a season when he was supposed to take the next step of his progression.

Now, Trubisky faces an uphill battle to win the starting quarterback job, and his future in Chicago is well in question.

Ultimately, whether or not the Bears choose to pick up Trubisky’s option will say a lot about how they expect this quarterback competition to go.

What do you think, Bears fans? Should the Bears exercise Trubisky’s fifth-year option?

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