The Chicago Bears aren’t really focused on what will happen in 2020. At least not for another three weeks. They still feel like they can make the playoffs and have to win out in order to make that happen. However, GM Ryan Pace knows he gets paid to think about the future and there is no bigger decision looming for him or his team than what to do with Mitch Trubisky. Specifically whether or not he’ll utilize the 5th year option in his rookie contract.
For those who aren’t attuned to this side of the NFL, any player drafted in the 1st round has a clause in their contract called the 5th year option. This allows a team to secure said player for an additional season. The problem is it’s expensive. Projections say Trubisky would make $24 million in 2021 if the Bears were to exercise his. Not too long ago people would’ve been aghast at such an idea but things have changed somewhat.
Trubisky is playing better of late. A lot better. This puts Pace right back in the bubble of uncertainty. Should he or shouldn’t he? Mike Sando of The Athletic asked other executives around the NFL their thoughts. The answers followed pretty much the same path.
“I guarantee they will (exercise the option),” an exec said. “The only risk is, does he suffer an injury that lingers to the first day of the league year, and you want to get rid of him?”
Another chimed in:
“What Chicago ought to do is pick it up (the option) but do everything in their power to find the next guy,” another exec said. “Identify a quarterback in the draft. Do everything possible to beat this guy out. It’s not guaranteed money. Look at Tennessee [who exercised Marcus Mariota’s fifth-year option in 2018]. Deep down, they had to know Marcus Mariota wasn’t good enough, so they went out and got an alternative (Ryan Tannehill).”
Mitch Trubisky would have to bomb to avoid this
For their part, the Bears organization has remained firmly behind their quarterback. Pace along with head coach Matt Nagy and the rest of the locker room see Trubisky as their guy and somebody they can win with. His 9 touchdowns in the past eight quarters of play would seem to validate that confidence. However, there is still a lot of football left to be played and against some pretty tough opponents.
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The Packers in Green Bay. The Chiefs at Soldier Field and then into Minnesota against the Vikings to finish it up. Those are some talented and/or well-coached football teams on the defensive side. If Trubisky’s emergence is to be taken seriously, he will have to play well in this coming stretch. Doing so all but guarantees the option will be picked up. If he’s kind of up and down? That may give the Bears pause but even then the odds lean towards the move still being made.
Only if the quarterback really struggles and goes back to being a liability will Pace be forced to seriously consider declining the option. Similar to what happened with Kyle Fuller in 2017.
