The Bears once got in a big hurry, because they just had to have them some Mitchell Trubisky.
Now, they want to be a little more patient before deciding what to do with him.
Via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Bears General Manager Ryan Pace said this morning at the Scouting Combine that the team planned to wait until May to decide whether to pick up Trubisky’s fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
The Bears have previously expressed confidence that Trubisky will become the guy they thought he’d be when they traded four things to move up one spot to draft him second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. But he regressed badly last season, opening the door for plenty of questions.
Pace also dropped in a “We believe in Mitch,” while expressing the need to create competition at every spot.
But by not declaring Tuesday, the Bears have also departed from previous behavior, such as when they immediately said they were picking up Leonard Floyd‘s option after the 2018 season.
It would be huge admission of a mistake, but the Bears are also wise to not overcommit just for the sake of saving face. Entering what could be an unprecedented offseason of quarterback movement, there are plenty of chances to upgrade over Trubisky in the next three months, whether it’s in free agency, through trade, or the draft.