Reports are that the NFL is considering shortening the NFL preseason from four games to only two. This would make the Chicago Bears quarterback battle more difficult and provide another advantage to Mitchell Trubisky.
It was recently reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network that the NFL and NFLPA are in talks to shorten the preseason from four games to only two. This will be difficult for many teams, but it is possible the team that suffers most by this change is the Chicago Bears. Clearly the Bears are in the midst of a quarterback battle, but that battle is struggling to even happen due to COVID-19.
With the current situation, Mitchell Trubisky is already seeing advantages. First, he is familiar with the team and players in a way that Foles is not yet. Trubisky has been meeting with a few players here and there including Allen Robinson and Tarik Cohen. The players have been running routes and working on timing. Nick Foles cannot do this as he has yet to move to Chicago.
With the offseason looking as different as anyone could imagine, the league shortening the preseason could spell disaster for Matt Nagy’s and other coaches’ abilities to evaluate arguably the most important position in football. With a quarterback battle that was scheduled to be brewing between Trubisky and Foles right now, all the team can do is hold virtual meetings. This is not enough to determine which quarterback should be under center come Week 1 of the season.
Multiple advantages exist for Mitchell Trubisky in the Chicago Bears quarterback competition
This is however another advantage for Trubisky over Foles. With the ability to meet with players and his already established connections with most starters, Trubisky gets an edge over Foles. The question will be, is that edge enough to guarantee Trubisky the starting spot. Without real practices or preseason games to analyze, how will either player prove his worth?
I have said from the beginning that I believe Trubisky will have the first crack at facing the Lions in Week 1. The coaching staff obviously brought in Foles because Nagy trusts him. Not to mention his familiarity with other coaches on the staff like Bill Lazor and John DeFillippo. Without playing time, coaches and other players will have to find unique ways to build trust.
If the NFL does decide to cut the preseason down from four games to two this year, it will be interesting to see how Trubisky’s and Foles’ playing time during those games plays out. Trubisky better hope he can build upon the advantages over Foles he has received this offseason due to the pandemic.