In a perfect world, former Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz would see Mitch Trubisky return to the team in 2021 — with a new GM and coaching staff at the helm. Kreutz has had his pulse on his former team for a while now. He played 13 of his 14 seasons with the Bears, where he made six Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2006. He has been working as an analyst covering the Bears for the last several years, and he has a very detailed and specific plan he’d like to see the Bears run with next year.
After the Bears and Trubisky demolished the Houston Texans Sunday, Kreutz and several other former Bears players, including Lance Briggs and Alex Brown, discussed the game on NBC Sports’ The Football Aftershow. The former stalwart center shared his opinions about how the Bears should attack this offseason — and it involves firing GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy — while keeping quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
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Olin Kreutz to Bears: Hire Vikings OC to Coach Trubisky Properly
Kreutz thinks Trubisky has shown enough over the last three seasons for the Bears to try to bring him back — at a reasonable rate, of course — to compete for the starting job next season. The former Bears center also wants current Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak to be the team’s head coach in this scenario, based on how well he has coached Kirk Cousins up in recent years.
“Say you say to yourself, ‘I’m going to go hire Gary Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings,’” Kreutz said on The Football Aftershow, per NBC Sports. “‘I’m going to bring in Rick Dennison to be his offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, and we’re going to this outside zone, boot scheme that he (Trubisky) was drafted for.’”
While Kreutz didn’t provide a list of names or suggestions for the team’s next GM, he did have an idea as to what the Bears should be looking for.
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Kreutz: Trubisky Won’t Stay of Current Coaching Staff Stays
Kubiak is a well-established coach in the NFL. He has been a quarterbacks coach for the 49ers and Broncos, an offensive coordinator for the Broncos (2003-05), Ravens (2014) and Vikings (2020), and he was the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2006-13. Kubiak came over to Minnesota last season, serving as assistant head coach & offensive advisor. He still holds the latter title, and he slid into the OC role this season.
Kreutz thinks that the failings of Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy — specifically on offense and at the quarterback position — make their exits inevitable at the end of the year. Kreutz also noted he doesn’t think Trubisky would even entertain sticking around if Pace and Nagy are still in Chicago.
“You bring in a GM and that GM says, ‘Look, I’m going to give him a cap-friendly contract and see if he can develop into a good quarterback while I bring in a young guy, while I bring in another guy, and let him compete.’ Then he has trust in the people in the building. Then you could see him staying,” Kreutz said. “But if you’re asking me, would he stay with the same group of guys? Highly unlikely.”
Trubisky, who was benched by Matt Nagy halfway through Week 3, has been candid lately about his disconnect with his current head coach, suggesting this week that his input in the offense has been virtually ignored until recently. If Kreutz had his way, the Bears would also draft a young QB in addition to having Trubisky, and they would also have a veteran competing, as well. Kreutz didn’t get specific about where Nick Foles fits into his scenario in 2021.
Considering everything that has happened this season, Kreutz is likely correct about the conditions that may keep Trubisky around — but that’s assuming the Bears would still consider keeping the quarterback even if a new coaching staff arrives.
Prepare for an event-filled offseason, Bears fans. It’s likely going to get more wild from here on out.
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Bears Legend Wants Vikings Coach, Mitch Trubisky in 2021