Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press
Guiding the Chicago Bears into the NFL playoffs may not be enough to guarantee Mitchell Trubisky’s long-term future in Windy City.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported on Sunday that the Bears have not reached a final decision on Trubisky, who will become a free agent, so a deep postseason race can influence the front office:
The 26-year-old has performed well since he resumed his duties as a full-back. He shot for 1,495 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions over six games to end the regular season.
As a result, many are wondering if he could be back with the Bears in 2021, after his fate seemed to be sealed when the team refused your fifth year option.
“In the eyes of some NFL executives, Trubisky recently played one of the best football games of his career, arguing why Chicago will need to consider him again, “ Adam Schefter reported on December 27.
According to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, neither party will discuss any terms of the contract until this season ends:
There is an obvious level of danger in comparing a relatively small sample with everything else that Trubisky has done up to this point.
The Bears’ final stretch pitted them against the Green Bay Packers (twice), Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars. These teams ranked seventh, 30th, 24th, 25th and 27th in defense pass. All five were in the bottom half in defensive efficiency, with Texans, jaguars and lions occupying the final three positions Football outsiders.
Trubisky was not facing a line of elite killer defenses.
The level of competition will rise in the playoffs, but Joe Flacco is an excellent example of how a hot post-season race is not indicative of future performance. While Flacco was instrumental in helping the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII, six years, $ 120.6 million the extension he signed later was not a major investment.
The Bears would do well to avoid making a similar mistake with Trubisky based on whatever unfolds this month.