The Chicago Bears had one goal above all others in mind when the 2018 off-season began. That’s do anything and everything in their power to surround Mitch Trubisky with the most quarterback-friendly system they possibly can. GM Ryan Pace made it clear a year ago when he traded up for him in the draft that he was aiming to change the culture at that position.
After all, Chicago has often been the forgotten swampy marshlands of quarterback play for decades. When Jim McMahon, who never had 3,000 yards passing or started a full season as a pro is the best you produced in the Super Bowl era, that’s a problem. Perhaps the biggest failure for them though was failing to put a stable system around Jay Cutler.
First, it was constantly replacing offensive coordinators and then it was head coaches and GMs. He may not have been a superstar but it’s fair to argue Cutler might’ve done better had they actually been able to execute a plan to build around him. That’s a mistake that Pace aims to avoid, and people around the league are taking notice of his hard work.
Top expert sees Mitch Trubisky poised for huge 2018 breakout
The two big surprises of 2017 were the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. L.A. went 10-6, making the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and were led by Jared Goff. The Eagles exploded to a 13-3 season and won their first-ever Super Bowl, most of the heavy lifting done by their QB, Carson Wentz. Both signal callers had Pro Bowl years, a huge turnaround from their rookie seasons.
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A big reason for such success was the hard work both teams put in that off-season to surround them with the right coaching and talented personnel. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com explains how Pace has basically copied their entire blueprint.
“If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Les Snead and Howie Roseman should feel the love from Ryan Pace.
Snead and Roseman respectively surrounded Jared Goff and Carson Wentz with stellar supporting casts that elevated their play, leading to Pro Bowl nods for both sophomore QBs and great team success for both organizations…
…Look at how much Goff and Wentz improved when their respective teams built entire offenses around their games. From scheme to personnel, every major move made by the Rams and Eagles during the 2017 offseason was done with the elevation of the quarterback in mind…”
Pace struck early on the coaching circuit.
He wanted a younger coach who understood top-of-the-line offensive scheming. John Fox was old and steeped in defensive tradition. It’s why he never successfully developed a young QB. Pace believed Matt Nagy, the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, and a former quarterback himself, wouldn’t have that problem.
“…From a coaching and schematic standpoint, the general manager hired an offensive-minded head coach adept at working with quarterbacks. Matt Nagy’s background as a quarterback coach, particularly with a spread disciple in Alex Smith, will serve him well tutoring a quarterback who directed a version of the spread at North Carolina…”
The biggest part of the overhaul came with personnel
Chicago had the 32nd ranked passing attack in 2017. It marks the fifth time since 2000 that the Bears have finished a season 29th or worse in the league. That should give an indication of how bad their wide receiver and tight end situations have been most of the time. In the space of a week though, Brooks believes that has drastically changed.
“…(Allen) Robinson is one of only 12 receivers with 2,000-plus receiving yards and 20-plus touchdowns over the past three seasons — and that’s despite the fact that he missed nearly the entire 2017 campaign due to a torn ACL…
…Taylor Gabriel was signed to four-year, $26 million deal to give the offense an explosive vertical threat…
…The Bears added Trey Burton as a “flex” tight end to complement Adam Shaheen. The fifth-year pro is a versatile playmaker with the size and speed to create mismatches in space…”
“…I can’t close the book on the Bears’ remarkable makeover without pointing out the most underrated acquisition of all: Chase Daniel. The veteran backup quarterback shouldn’t play a big role on the field, but his mentorship of the Bears’ QB1 is absolutely critical. After spending several years watching Drew Brees and Alex Smith prepare for games as starters, Daniel can share that knowledge and insight with the 23-year-old starter to help him take his game to the next level…”
Throw all this in with the reports that Trubisky is working like a madman both in the weight and film rooms? Everything is shaping up for him to take a giant leap this coming year. Bears fans have waited for something like this for ages. Here’s hoping their wish finally comes true.
