2017 NFL Rookie Projections: Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
By Zach Goodall
Mitchell Trubisky was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and in Part 2 of a 32-part series, a look at his projections as a rookie.
The Chicago Bears traded up to the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to draft their “Quarterback of the Future” in Mitchell Trubisky. In doing so, the Bears sent the San Francisco 49ers their third overall pick, as well as two third round picks and fourth round pick. The Bears mortgaged their future on jumping one pick in order to get their guy.
But will the Bears even know if the former North Carolina Tar Heel is good enough to be their guy in 2017?
I’m not banking on it. The Bears signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Mike Glennon to a three-year, $45 million contract in free agency. Although he isn’t the long-term option at quarterback with Trubisky in the building, he will be the bridge quarterback in 2017, limiting Trubisky’s snap count.
Sure, Trubisky may, and probably will, get some play time. Almost all rookie quarterbacks do, whether it be the starter goes down with an injury and/or struggles during the season, or simply later on in the year Trubisky and Glennon may split snaps.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
However, considering Glennon is guaranteed $18.5 million that is all due in 2017 (per Spotrac.com), I can’t imagine a scenario where Glennon doesn’t get the majority of starting snaps this year while Trubisky sits and “learns the game”.
Obviously, this limits any chance for Chicago to know if Trubisky can handle the NFL and be “their guy” until at least 2018 when he’d take over the starting role, barring a serious injury to Glennon that forces Trubisky into a starting position.
Rather, Chicago will likely have to rely on any glimpse or flash that Trubisky might display in his bits and pieces of play time in 2017. In 2016, Broncos rookie Paxton Lynch sat behind Trevor Siemian for most of the season. However, Lynch filled in for Siemian when he was injured for two and a half games.
In those games, Lynch had mediocre numbers: 49-of-83 on passes for 497 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Trubisky may be 10-times the quarterback Lynch was in a limited role, as that has yet to be seen. But for now ,I’m going to project Trubisky to put up similar numbers. Let’s call it 500 yards with a 62 percent completion rating along with four touchdowns and two interceptions in three games played.
Next: 2017 NFL Rookie Projections: Myles Garrett
I may be totally off in what happens with Trubisky this season, but if I were the Bears, I would take full advantage of Mike Glennon’s presence and start him while Trubisky adjusts to the NFL and sparingly gets playing time.
The bottom line is, we may not know what Mitchell Trubisky is as an NFL talent until 2018.