When you stumble to a 8-8 record just one year removed from a 12-4 season that included a division title and postseason berth, there are changes that need to be made.
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace made several moves this offseason to address some holes on this roster, including on the offensive side of the ball which struggled mightily in 2019.
The Bears strengthened their pass rush with the addition of veteran Robert Quinn, added tight ends Jimmy Graham and second-round pick Cole Kmet, as well as offensive lineman Germain Ifedi and traded for quarterback Nick Foles. Chicago also added second-round cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Tahsaun Gipson.
There has been praise and criticism for these different moves. But which move has been the best so far this offseason?
Bleacher Report says that the Bears’ smartest offseason move was trading for Foles, who will battle Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job during training camp and preseason.
This brings us to the trade to acquire Nick Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars, which was a sharp move for a couple of reasons. For one, Foles should either push Trubisky or take over the starting job himself—theoretically increasing the odds of a successful season in 2020.
Additionally, Foles can help give the Bears a better idea of whether Trubisky is holding back head coach Matt Nagy or if it’s the other way around. If Foles plays significant snaps and Nagy’s offense still regularly stalls, then the Bears might be prompted to give Trubisky a shot with someone else running the show.
As B/R mentioned, the Bears are hoping that the addition of Foles will either push Trubisky to become the quarterback Pace was hoping for when he drafted him No. 2 overall or that Foles will be a reliable starter for Chicago.
Obviously, the hope is that it’s the former. But there’s no telling whether or not Trubisky will magically put it all together this season. Although, in a pressure-packed situation like this, perhaps things finally do click.
If not, the Bears brought in Foles, who has experience in a Matt Nagy-like offense and experience with some of Chicago’s new offensive coaches, including offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo.
Foles has shown that he can effectively run an offense similar to what Nagy runs, both in Kansas City and Philadelphia. If Foles wins the starting job, like many are expecting, all he needs to do is operate this offense effectively for the Bears to make another postseason run.
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