How Mitch Trubisky helped sell free agents on Chicago Bears
For a quarterback who went just 4-8 as a starter with a modest 77.5 passer rating (28th in the league), the Bears' Mitch Trubisky has created a positive buzz around the NFL.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who made Trubisky the second overall pick in the 2107 draft, has found that his sales pitch to free agents is being well received, not just because of the contract numbers but also because of the team's quarterback.
“I think there's excitement around the league with Mitch,” Pace said, “not just for the talent that he is, but the person that he is. Let's be honest — players pay attention to who the quarterback is and who they're going to potentially pair with. There's a lot of excitement around the quarterback, and that definitely helps.”
It's one thing for the GM who drafted him as the franchise QB to trumpet Trubisky's talent. But it's quite another for the pass catchers whose careers depend on him to express their confidence in Trubisky.
Free-agent wide receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, tight end Trey Burton and even backup quarterback Chase Daniel all cited Trubisky among their reasons for signing with the Bears.
“We played them last year (Week 1), but we didn't get to see him because (Mike Glennon) was playing,” Gabriel said. “But I got to talk to him a little bit after the game. He just seemed like a very confident guy, very confident in himself and the things that he was doing.
“I looked up a few of his highlights on YouTube as well, and the guy can sling it. So I'm excited to be with him and excited to get in and play with him.”
Trubisky was given plenty of slack last year in an up-and-down campaign, and not just because he was a rookie who was hustled into the starter's role in Week 5. He took over an undermanned aerial attack that already was without projected wide-receiver starters Cam Meredith and Kevin White and then lost tight end Zach Miller at midseason.
With the off-season addition of three proven skill-position players and the healthy return of White and Meredith, Trubisky will be competing on a level playing field in 2018.
Robinson, who spent last season recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, had an opportunity to watch the Bears from afar and saw encouraging signs from the quarterback.
“There were some throws he made … and I was like, 'Wow, these guys really have a quarterback,' ” Robinson said. “I know some guys on the team, so Chicago was a team I watched a few times. I got a chance to watch him play, and I saw a lot of good things.”
Daniel has backed up Drew Brees in New Orleans (2010-12), Alex Smith in Kansas City (2013-15), Carson Wentz in Philadelphia (2016), and then Brees again last year. He has seen firsthand what exceptional QB play looks like, and he spent three years with Bears head coach Matt Nagy when they were with the Chiefs.
Daniel has been impressed with Trubisky, but he knows the daunting hurdles the young quarterback will encounter, and he vows to be there as a confidant and mentor.
“Watching Mitch play last year was fun,” Daniel said. “It's hard to play as a quarterback in this league, but especially as a rookie quarterback. I think he did some really good things. I'm excited to dive in with him deeper and get started.
“From everything I've heard, everyone I've seen, he's a really great guy. So I'm ready to work with him.”
Burton had yet to meet Trubisky when he arrived for his Bears media introduction last week, but he was eager to begin collaborating.
“(I) talked to other people, and they say nothing but great things about him, (like) his athleticism,” Burton said. “The stuff that you hear is all positive. I'm just really excited to get to work with him.”
The guess here is that Trubisky is even more excited than Burton, knowing the number of talented pass catchers he will be targeting in his sophomore season.
• Bob LeGere is a senior writer at Pro Football Weekly. Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere or @PFWeekly.