Could Trubisky's path mirror Tannehill?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Third in a series looking at players who could be targeted by the Broncos when free agent negotiating window opens March 15.
Two years ago, Tennessee traded fourth- and sixth-round draft picks to Miami for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill, a former first-round pick, was 42-46 with 123 touchdowns and 75 interceptions for the Dolphins. By mid-October, he had replaced Marcus Mariota. By mid-January, he was playing in the AFC title game.
Could Chicago’s Mitch Trubisky have the same kind of path in general and with the Broncos in particular?
Tannehill was 30 when he switched teams to rejuvenate his career; Trubisky, 26, is scheduled to hit the free-agent market this month. His career numbers are 64 touchdowns, 37 interceptions and a 29-21 record.
Trubisky would represent a low-risk/potentially high-reward acquisition for new general manager George Paton.
It would give coach Vic Fangio, who overlapped with Trubisky in Chicago for two years (2017-18), and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur the option of having a Drew Lock-Trubisky camp competition.
Trubisky lost his spot to Nick Foles during the Week 3 win at Atlanta and got it back after Foles was injured in Week 11. The Bears, despite a six-game losing streak, squeezed into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and lost 21-9 at New Orleans.
During a three-game December winning streak, Trubisky had six touchdowns and two interceptions.
“(The Bears) have done a really nice job of figuring out what he does well and that’s what they’re doing — he’s run an extremely high amount of (bootlegs) and stuff like that where he gets out in space,” Jacksonville defensive coordinator Todd Wash said before the teams’ Week 16 meeting (a 4117 Bears win). “You don’t see a lot of drop-back and just air it out. It’s boots and a controlled passing game.”
Trubisky File
Experience: The Bears traded up from No. 3 to No. 2 in 2017 to draft Trubisky. Patrick Mahomes went to Kansas City at No. 10 and Deshaun Watson to Houston at No. 12. Thus, the constant and understandable comparisons.
Trubisky went 4-8 as a rookie and the Bears hired coach Matt Nagy to replace John Fox. The Bears were led by Fangio’s defense, but Trubisky had 24 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 95.4 rating. His numbers slipped in ’19 (17 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 83.0 rating). In, out and back into the lineup last year, he had 16 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 93.5 rating.
Case for: Lock has support within the Broncos’ facility, but many of those people would probably say he needs to be pushed. Enter Trubisky, who would cost less than Andy Dalton. Like Dalton, Trubisky would be an obvious upgrade if he begins the year as the No. 2. If he’s the No. 1, his skill set (throwing on the move, extending plays, gaining yards on quarterback keepers) fits Shurmur’s scheme.
Case against: There’s a reason why the Bears didn’t pick up Trubisky’s fifth-year option — they didn’t see enough progress to warrant a commitment. If you’re the Broncos, do they view Trubisky as similar to Lock? If so, they shouldn’t pursue him.
Tape analysis (Bears vs. Houston, Week 14, 2020): In a 36-7 win, Trubisky was 24-of-33 passing for 267 yards and three touchdowns (126.7 rating). … He completed his first nine passes and 13 of his first 14. … The plus passes — five-yard TD to TE Jimmy Graham, recognizing the size mismatch (Graham vs. a smaller Texans cornerback); a 22-yard wellplaced throw to WR Allen Robinson down the right sideline; a side-armed throw around an unblocked rusher for 11 yards to TE Cole Kmet and a delicate threeyard TD to Robinson that required the pass to almost go between the LB and CB. … He was 16of-21 passing on attempts that traveled less than six “air” yards and had only two attempts of at least 16 “air” yards. … Trubisky showed good mobility on bootleg and also gaining four, nine and five yards on scrambles, but was also disciplined in staying in the pocket and throwing the checkdown. … The Bears’ main personnel group was 3WR-1TE-1RB (37 snaps).
Final take: Trubisky has 16 games with a rating of at least 100, 10 games of at least three touchdown passes and 10 games of at least two interceptions. Translation — he’s hot and cold, but if the term (one year) is right, he could look at the Broncos as a springboard to the second half of his career.
Friday: Indianapolis cornerback Xavier Rhodes.