Normally GM Ryan Pace isn’t completely transparent when it comes to his plans for certain roster spots. However, with his job likely on the line this year it seems he gained some clarity. In a conference call with the Chicago media following the first waves of free agency, he decided to address the elephant in the room before anybody even had a chance to ask. The one regarding Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky and where they stand.
Rather than beat around the bush, Pace stated quite openly at the start of the call. It would not be Trubisky’s job to lose as some had speculated. The starting position is wide open. Both quarterbacks are on equal footing. The next five months would be a competition to see who deserves the job. Head coach Matt Nagy plans to use that entire time period, including preseason games to ensure he makes the right decision.
In the end, it was never personal. This change in approach was about what’s best for the Chicago Bears.
Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky were promised fair competition
For his part, Nagy made it crystal clear that there won’t be any favoritism either way. He plans for it to be a fair competition right down the middle. Trubisky will get the first snap in practice when the team finally gets together, but Foles will work with the exact same offensive unit against the exact same defensive unit. He intends to make sure this battle isn’t handicapped one way or the other.
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If Trubisky steps up? Great. He’ll get the nod. If Foles proves to be the better player. Good. He’ll get the nod. The Bears don’t care which of them ends up being the guy as long as they show they’re capable of executing the offense at a level necessary to win football games.
