Will the Chicago Bears quarterback position look different in 2020? This is the question lots of people are asking six games into 2019. That is how poorly it has looked to this point. Mitch Trubisky meandered his way through the first three games before getting injured in the fourth. Chase Daniel performed well in immediate relief but reminded everybody why he’s been a backup for 11 years with two brutal interceptions against the Oakland Raiders in London.
There are still 11 games left and Trubisky has enough time to reassert his control over the job. However, his grip isn’t as strong as it was when the season began. There is a good reason to think the team may start seeking out alternatives next year. If not an outright replacement then perhaps some genuine competition. Typically teams would look towards the NFL draft for such things. However, with no 1st round pick at their disposal, one might imagine the Bears try free agency instead.
Typically this is not the ideal method since the veteran market is almost always void of any notable names. However, as the weeks pass it’s becoming clear that 2020 could end up being an exception, at least to an extent. Players that looked secure in getting new deals from their respective teams now seem like question marks for one reason or another.
Marcus Mariota now headlines Chicago Bears quarterback options
Perhaps the biggest story coming out of week six was the Tennessee Titans making the momentous decision to bench starting quarterback Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill. This while the team was in the process of being shut out by the Denver Broncos 16-0. Mariota went just 7-of-18 for 63 yards and two interceptions. By far his worst game of the season and the timing couldn’t be worse. He will be a free agent next offseason and no doubt had hoped to put together a strong year to get a big payday.
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Now his future in Tennessee looks bleaker than ever. Some will say Mariota is hardly an option for the Bears, but that’s not entirely fair. For all the grief he gets lately, the guy has been under siege most of the season. In just six games he’s been sacked a total of 25 times. The Titans offensive line has clearly been a problem. Yet despite that, he still has a passer rating of 91.7 with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Trubisky’s is 81.0 despite taking far less pressure.
Chicago runs an offense with plenty of schemes that fit what Mariota does best with the run-pass options and utilization of the QB’s legs. One key factor is Mark Helfrich. He was Mariota’s offensive coordinator and then head coach at Oregon. The two are highly familiar with each other. It shouldn’t be a stretch to think the Bears might be interested if the Titans indeed let the 25-year old walk next March as many now expect.
Mariota won’t be the only interesting name though.
New Orleans Saints backup Teddy Bridgewater, who remains undefeated as a starter filling in for the injured Drew Brees is expected to become available. He’ll be 28-years old and squarely in his prime. Philip Rivers could also be in play depending on what happens with the Los Angeles Chargers who are currently 2-4 and watching their postseason hopes slip away. Even Eli Manning will likely be in play. Most consider him done, but it’s hard to ignore a two-time Super Bowl winner.
Then there is the looming question of what the Carolina Panthers will do with Cam Newton. As he’s recovered from injuries, Kyle Allen has seized firm control of the starting job. Some are starting to think the team is prepared to make that move a permanent one. If so, the former MVP might also become available.
Nobody is saying any of these guys are the long-elusive answer the Bears have waited for at quarterback. However, they all definitely bring varying degrees of credibility to the position. If the Bears aren’t yet willing to give up on Trubisky, their best option in 2020 would be to switch tactics by bringing in competition. Make the job open to whoever wants it the most. At that point, they’ll find out who Trubisky really is.