Getty Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
Mitch Trubisky in a Colts uniform? The Indianapolis Star thinks it’s a definite possibility in 2021. The Colts signed veteran quarterback Philip Rivers to a one-year, $25 million contract this season, but Rivers will be 39 in December, and there are no guarantees he’ll be back next year, regardless of what type of season he and the team have.
Jacoby Brissett is also in the final year of his contract, and will likely play for another team after the year is up. In an admittedly early attempt to dissect the quarterback picture for the Colts in 2021, The Indy Star examined all signal-callers who will potentially be available next season, and discussed the likelihood they could play for the Colts, among other things. Dak Prescott seems to have some of the best odds to wind up in Indianapolis, but Trubisky was also listed as a possibility for Frank Reich’s team.
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Trubisky Will Very Likely Hit Open Market in 2021
After the Bears declined to pick up his fifth-year option, the writing has been on the wall, blinking in neon, for Trubisky: he has to produce this year — and establish himself as the starter — or his time in Chicago is done. The Bears brought in Nick Foles to compete with him, and if the fourth-year quarterback fails to beat Foles out, or if he winds up on the bench at all, it’s highly unlikely he stays in the Windy City.
Enter the Colts. The Indy Star had Prescott as the potential favorite to be QB1 in 2021, with Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick among those listed as other potential candidates. The Star said the following about the possibility of Trubisky-to-Indy:
“Is there any reason to be optimistic about Trubisky? The answer is yes, but you have to squint. Seven other quarterbacks selected in the first round since 2000 have had a passer rating between 80 and 86 in Year 3. Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb were above-average quarterbacks. Sam Bradford and Daunte Culpepper might have been if not for injuries. J.P. Losman, David Carr and Jason Campbell weren’t. Trubisky was legitimately good in 2018 as well, so don’t write him off yet (but, yes, you can make fun of your friends who are Bears fans about him).”
Will Trubisky Rebound in 2020?
Perhaps one of the things about Trubisky’s 2019 campaign that doesn’t get discussed enough is the fact that he played hurt throughout the majority of the season. While the partially-torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder isn’t the reason he struggled to read defenses, it probably was a big reason he was hesitant to run as effectively, or take risks as much.
Trubisky said last week via Zoom that he was playing through pain for the bulk of 2019 because of the injury. “Last year, just playing through pain, having to deal with the sling, just knowing your body isn’t 100 percent, it’s just one of those things your body has to battle through,” he said. “I’d just rather not have to play with that, but it’s just something I had to battle through.”
It’s unclear just how much the shoulder injury hurt his game last year, but the former second overall pick has been working hard this offseason, and he says he’s now “110 percent.”
He’ll have to be as good as he was in 2018 — better, actually — if he wants to stay in Chicago.
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