On Tuesday evening, The NFL and the players union agreed that to cancel the 2020 preseason games due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The decision will ultimately lead to hundreds of players losing roster spots and be left without important preseason experience to add to their football resume. For the Chicago Bears, the player most affected by the cancellation of preseason games will be quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who has not thrown a pass in the preseason since 2018.
Throughout his career, Trubisky has been heralded for his potential but has struggled with inconsistent play. When drafted second overall in 2017, many analysts said that the Bears quarterback would be the one quarterback of the class that would benefit the most from sitting a year and getting as many reps as possible in the preseason. Although Trubisky did get reps in all four of the 2017 preseason games, he became the starter in week five of the season with an offense lacking talent and coaching. The rookie quarterback performed above averaged in 12 starts in the 2017 season, but it was clear he needed more live reps.
When Matt Nagy was hired in 2018, general manager Ryan Pace and many around the league believe Nagy was the right coach to mentor and develop Trubisky. The former Kansas City Chiefs coordinator was viewed as the next up and coming offensive coach, but admitted his system was going to take time to learn. Nagy had his second year quarterback and the starting offense play in the first two preseason games of 2018, but bizarrely decided to rest all of his starters in the key “dress rehearsal” game against his former team. The third week of the preseason is often when teams have their starters play into the third quarter and treat the game like regular season game. Many questioned whether resting Trubisky would cause him to struggle at the start of the season as he was in need of reps to learn the new offense.
Trubisky did struggle as he was intercepted three times in his first three games of the season as the offense had a hard time finding any success in those three games. In two of the three games, Chicago’s quarterback posted a quarterback rating below 80 and had a completion percentage below 70. Trubisky did find success later on in the season after having several games to see what worked and what didn’t work him. He would finish the season with 24 touchdown passes, three rushing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and played in the Pro Bowl.
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Heading into 2019, Nagy, who believe Trubisky was fully ready for the regular season, had his quarterback not attempt a single throw in the preseason. The move backfired immensely as in the team’s season-opening game against Green Bay, the third-year quarterback struggled with accuracy and reading the opposing defense. The offense would not score its first touchdown until the third quarter of the second game against Denver, while Chicago’s defense scored a touchdown before Trubisky recorded his first passing touchdown of the season. The 2019 season was a massive disappointment for the Bears as the offense was one of the worst in the league, which led to the firing of a majority of the team’s offensive coaches.
Many still place the blame on Nagy for not having Trubisky take live reps during the preseason as one of the reasons why the offense struggled last season. It would have allowed the quarterback to practice timing and build continuity with his receivers, which would have enabled Chicago’s quarterback not to lock on to wide receiver Allen Robinson as much as he did to start the season. Seeing Trubisky make live throws against opposing defenses could have allowed Nagy and his staff to see the flaws in their quarterback’s game and correct them before the start of the season.
This year’s slate of preseason games were vital to the organization given the new offensive coaches hired and the quarterback battle between Trubisky and veteran Nick Foles. Instead of having the two quarterbacks battle it out against opposing defenses over a three to four game span, Nagy and his staff must now determine the starter with team only practices. Furthermore, Trubisky along with the new coaches that include Bill Lazor and John Defilippo, have no preseason game film to work with heading into the season. This robs the coaches of correcting any flawed mechanics or devising any new plays based off what could be seen in a preseason game.
Unfortunately, Trubisky can’t get the live reps against opposing defenses that he needs. He can practice and train all he wants, but the Bears quarterback needs live reps to prep mentally to be ready physically. Trubisky’s struggles may be more mental than physical, as every so often, he will display the ability to make an All-Pro play. A majority of times, these plays happen when he has no time to think. A few examples from 2019 include his game-winning throw to Allen Robinson against Denver and his 36-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Gabriel in week three.
Depending on the outcome of the 2020 season, it may be that Trubisky already has taken his last preseason snap with the Bears back in 2018. If the young quarterback wins the starting job but struggles, it’s unlikely he will be brought back in 2021. Trubisky will be playing in 2021 whether be with the Bears or another team, and if it’s with a different team, they will make sure to give the newly acquired quarterback all the reps he needs in the preseason.