The 2017 NFL draft brought all sorts of random decisions that caught people off guard, but one in particular will remain our radar for the foreseeable future. What exactly were the Chicago Bears thinking when they gave up two thirds and a fourth to move from No. 3 to No. 2 so they could draft North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky?
John Lynch was wondering the same thing during the draft. He thought the Bears were going to take Solomon Thomas at No. 2, while Paraag Marathe had a hunch it would be Trubisky. It was an odd decision considering the Bears gave Mike Glennon $18.5 million in fully guaranteed money this year. The deal does let the Bears out relatively easily after one year, but the decision to draft Trubisky No. 2 suggests Chicago might have already had some buyer’s remorse. That’s not to say they can’t have two capable QBs on their roster, but you usually don’t see it with that high a pick at this point.
The Bears kept things very hush-hush, going as far as to ask Trubisky to not tell anybody about a private workout they had with him. They kept it on the down low, and it was a surprise even to Trubisky, who had not heard from the team much following the workout.
Amidst all that, there is the awkwardness of the Mike Glennon situation. It turns out, the Bears had Glennon in attendance at their Thursday draft party. GM Ryan Pace declared Glennon the starter while Trubisky sits as a rookie, and the NFL is all about competition. I get that. And yet, this situation still seems awkward heading into OTAs and training camp.
This could all very well work out fine for the Bears. They could get a solid year from Glennon, transition to Trubisky, and have their franchise QB. This could also blow up in their faces. It feels like the latter is more likely as each day passes, but you never know. I do know that for the time being, I’m really enjoying the results of that trade.