The Chicago Bears are operating within a window at the moment. Most NFL teams know that once they find a good quarterback in the draft, the clock starts. That’s the clock ticking towards when said QB will demand a new contract. Everybody knows franchise quarterbacks are by far the most expensive commodity in the sport. Kirk Cousins making $28 million per year from Minnesota proves that much. So what about Mitch Trubisky.
This is the question that has Bears fans so concerned about 2019. The window of having the young passer on a cheaper deal won’t last forever. The Bears have control of him through 2021 including the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. They have until then at the latest to make something happen on the field before they have to start discussions towards an extension.
At that point keeping the team strong will become more difficult. Spending in free agency won’t be a yearly option because of the two massive contracts from Trubisky and Khalil Mack. This means the pressure will increase on GM Ryan Pace to continue drafting well. Still, if Trubisky is good then it’s a problem worth dealing with.
The question people have is what might it end up costing? A recent projection article by ESPN may offer an idea.
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Mitch Trubisky likely to command between $28-35 million per year
Now as with all contracts, this is going to depend on how Trubisky performs on the field. He’s coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance and delivered one of the most efficient passing seasons in modern franchise history. Expectations though are going higher. He’s a #2 overall pick and must live up to that billing. Progress has definitely been made, but there is still lots of ground to cover.
Bill Barnwell offered a look forward at a number of top quarterbacks around the league who are nearing the time for new deals. Going through various calculations, these were the numbers he arrived at for the most important ones.
- Russell Wilson: Four years, $140 million with $55 million guaranteed ($35 million per)
- Jared Goff: Five years, $155 million with $54 million guaranteed ($31 million per)
- Jameis Winston: Five years, $150 million, $56 million guaranteed ($30 million per)
- Carson Wentz: Five years, $146 million with $50 million guaranteed ($29.2 million per)
- Dak Prescott: Six years, $168 million with $60 million guaranteed ($28 million per)
- Marcus Mariota: Five years, $140 million with $32 million guaranteed ($28 million per)
Russell Wilson started his career in Seattle but will he finish there?
The Seattle QB has given the Seahawks an April 15th deadline for a new deal as Wilson enters the last year of his current contract. pic.twitter.com/OlFNf0j2d1
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) April 3, 2019
Now there is the possibility Trubisky may explode and reach the levels of Aaron Rodgers and the like, which would make this list inviolable. However, the odds are this is the range he’ll fall into. That means the Bears will be paying him somewhere in the vicinity of $28 million to $35 million a year.
It would be by far the most lucrative contract the organization has ever given a player, let alone a quarterback. Also keep in mind that Trubisky is unlikely to grant any sort of discount either. This is the same player who nearly missed the start of training camp due to a contract holdout on his rookie deal. His agents are notorious for playing hardball if they fell they have leverage. So the Bears will have to prepare their salary cap accordingly.
