The Mitch Trubisky Chicago Bears draft story is a wild one. Nobody saw it coming. As it turns out that included the man being selected. Most of the football world was turned on its head when GM Ryan Pace gave up two third round picks and a fourth round pick to move up from #3 to #2 overall in order to take the young North Carolina quarterback.
It’s the details though of how all of it transpired that gets pretty crazy. As it turns out there were plenty of wheels spinning to this one. According to insider Jeff Darlington, the market for Trubisky was hot. From what he gathers in San Francisco, two other teams were in talks to move up for the second pick. This forced Chicago into a decision. Let it go or sweeten the pot.
Pace chose the latter.
Behind the scenes, the 49ers are repping they did indeed have 2 offers. A bluff? I don’t think so. Even if it was… they still took the pot.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 28, 2017
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I’m told Bears were indeed convinced 49ers had two trade offers — so they felt they had to sweeten deal. In other words, yes, Lynch wins.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 28, 2017
The Mitch Trubisky Chicago Bears connection stunned all
Where it gets crazier is just how secretive the Bears actually were in their pursuit. Seems they were in on him months ago but didn’t want anybody to think that was the case. So they took the unorthodox approach of limiting contact with Trubisky. Aside from the combine and his pro day the team apparently had one workout with him and that was it. No private meetings or phone calls.
In essence Trubisky had zero idea that Chicago planned to draft him. When he found out that they moved up to get him, he was shocked.
#Bears top pick Mitchell Trubisky: "I had one workout with them and after that it was pretty much silent."
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) April 28, 2017
To repeat: since Mitchell Trubisky met with #Bears at combine, there was no meeting, no workout, no phone call between the 2 sides.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) April 28, 2017
Trubisky on @670TheScore: "I didn't have a lot of contact with Chicago throughout the process. I guess they did their research."
— Jake Perper (@BearsBacker) April 28, 2017
In truth the fit made sense from the start. Trubisky is a smooth drop back passer with good pocket presence, a quick release and accuracy. Sort of a more talented and athletic version of Brian Hoyer. If that’s the case then the Bears are in business. Hoyer after all had some legitimate success in this offense under Dowell Loggains. If Trubisky can learn to player with a little more discipline, then this could be the exact right decision by Pace.
Of course there is a big risk. If this turns into a misfire then the entire regime is likely gone. Yet it’s also a move that needed to happen. It’s been 14 years since the Bears selected a quarterback in the first round. The last time they got the very first quarterback in a draft? That would be 1951. Their odds were never better to finally get a guy they can build around.
If keeping him in the dark about it improved their odds, then that’s what needed to happen.
