The Chicago Bears know they’re up against the wall now. Their investment in Mitch Trubisky as their franchise quarterback is looking like folly more and more by the day. His ugly performance against New Orleans was the latest evidence. The lack of field vision. The indecisiveness. Everything about it was hard to watch. It brought back visions of Rex Grossman, Jonathan Quinn, and Craig Krenzel. Yet it was worse because Trubisky is significantly more talented than those three were.
The 25-year old appeared on edge and angry during his most recent press conference. No surprise given the loss and how he performed. It’s also possible he’s starting to get a sense of his current situation. This is truly the first time that many people beyond the national media are starting to believe he is not the answer. Trubisky is 31 starts into his career. He should not look that bad in a football game at home. Rusty from a shoulder injury or not.
The big fear now is whether this might be affecting the Bears locker room. Bucky Brooks of NFL.com interviewed a number of executives about the situation. One brought up this vital point.
“Don’t waste time when you know that you’ve gotten it wrong draft day,” another NFC executive said. “When you keep guys around just because you’ve drafted them high, you send a bad message to the locker room. Guys know who can and who can’t play.
“When you pay those guys who can’t play big money, it can tear up your locker room, especially when you have a team that’s on the verge of contention.”
Chicago Bears can let another window slip away out of stubbornness
This wouldn’t be the first time the Bears let stubbornness and ego over a draft pick rob them of an opportunity to pursue a championship. In 2001, they settled on Jim Miller as their starter. This despite Trent Dilfer, who’d just won the Super Bowl in Baltimore being a free agent. The same for Gus Frerotte who’d reached a Pro Bowl in 1996. It was even worse in 2005. The Bears had a chance to sign former MVP Kurt Warner but ultimately begged off. Why?
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Warner wanted a chance to compete with Rex Grossman for the starting job. The Bears refused. Keep in mind Grossman missed most of 2004 with a knee injury and would break his leg in the preseason. Warner would end up reviving his career in Arizona and taking them to the Super Bowl in 2008.
Clinging to draft picks out of hope they somehow turn things around is asking for endless pain. Trubisky’s had three years. He hasn’t cut the mustard. At least not to the extent that he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Ten games remain. If he can’t flip the switch in that time, the Bears need to act.
Either that or they risk losing the locker room. One that is filled with players who aren’t stupid.
