Is Trubisky the Bears’ all-time draft bust?
Pace traded 4 picks to 49ers to move up a spot in 2017 and get the now-struggling QB
I’m searching for a reason to keep investing in the Bears and the train wreck of a season that Mitch Trubisky has had so far.
The Bears offense is ranked 30th in the NFL, and it’s still Pop Warner time. See Trubisky throwing the ball away on fourthand-3 against the Saints on Oct. 20 for evidence.
I’m hoping a switch gets flipped soon, the weight of the massive expectations vanishes and that I’ll stop seeing ghosts of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in my sleep.
While I’m flailing for perspective and patience, I put together a list of the draft picks that the Bears gave up to get Trubisky.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace traded the third pick in the first round, the 67th pick in the second round, the 111th pick in the fourth round and a 2018 third-round pick to the 49ers to move from third overall to second in the 2017 draft. I’ll repeat. He gave up all those picks to move up one spot.
I wanted to know how those players were doing. Maybe it would make me feel better. Warning: It didn’t.
1. The 49ers selected Solomon Thomas, a defensive end from Stanford, with the third pick in the 2017 NFL draft. Thomas’ performance has been very Trubisky-like. Thomas has two sacks
and 11 tackles this season while starting just one game. He was solid during his rookie year, starting 13 games, finishing with three sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 41 tackles. The website ninernoise.com has suggested trading Thomas because he still has the potential to be a breakout player but likely somewhere else because the 49ers’ defensive line is so deep. And, yes, it’s true. The 49ers are 6-0.
2. With the 67th pick, the Saints took Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara. Last week the Bears were supposed to be in good shape against the Saints because Kamara was out with an ankle sprain. Ha. The 49ers traded their 67th pick to move up a spot, which is how Kamara ended up with the Saints. He rushed for 883 yards on 194 carries in 2018, and he caught 81 passes for 709 yards. That’s 1,592 yards of offense. Kamara has 33 receptions in six games this season. The Bears did get Tarik Cohen, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018, in the 2017 draft. Cohen’s skill set is similar to Kamara’s, but Cohen is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry this season. Advantage: Saints. But with a really good quarterback, Cohen could be on a similar arc.
3. With the 111th pick, the Seahawks selected strong safety Tedric Thompson from Colorado. Seattle got the pick in a trade with the Saints.
Thompson is on shaky ground. He didn’t start any games in his first season, but he had two fumble recoveries. Last year, he started 10 games and had an interception, three pass deflections and 51 tackles. He has two interceptions this year, but according to 12thmanrising.com, Thompson “consistently gets beat” on deep routes. The Seahawks traded for Detroit defensive back Quandre Diggs on Tuesday to add depth to their secondary. This was a win for the Bears. With the 112th pick, the Bears selected Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson. Jackson started 14 games in 2017. Last year, he finished with six interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. If Jackson stays healthy, he could be one of the best to play the position for the Bears.
4. With the 70th pick in the 2018 third round, the 49ers selected Brigham Young linebacker Fred Warner: Warner was definitely a value pick. He has started 22 games and had 124 tackles last year. He’s on pace to have a similar season for a 49ers unit that is ranked second in total defense (yards per game). The Bears had no thirdround selection last year.
What that small sample size reveals is the draft is a total crapshoot despite the millions of dollars poured into it by NFL teams and that no one should be surprised if Trubisky winds up as one of the worst picks in Bears history. Anything can happen, and sometimes it does with the draft. You never know. I just hope I’m wrong.