Bears make decision on Mitch Trubisky's fifth-year option |
| - - Saturday, May 2, 2020 3:53 PM |
This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise but it's still big news.
The Chicago Bears have declined the fifth-year option on quarterback Mitch Trubisky according to multiple reports on Saturday. The fifth-year option was for $24,837,000 as Trubisky is entering the final year of his four-year, $29 million rookie contract that included a $19.17 million signing bonus. He is set to make $2.21 million in 2020. In 2019, he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 3,138 yards and 17 passing touchdowns with 10 interceptions. On the ground, he had 193 yards rushing with two rushing scores. Obviously, the Bears didn't want to get locked into that huge yearly salary as currently, the team has decided to go with an open competition since the addition of veteran quarterback Nick Foles.
"With the addition of Nick Foles, it's exactly what we talked about from the start - we want to create competition. We've talked to both players and it's an open competition," Bears general manager Ryan Pace told reporters recently.
If Trubisky has a huge year, it is possible that he makes a ton of money in the future with the Bears or another team in a long-term deal as a franchise quarterback.
The #Bears are declining the fifth-year option on QB Mitch Trubisky, source said.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 2, 2020
The team has liked Trubisky’s attitude since the Nick Foles trade and it’ll be an open competition. A chance for Trubisky to make himself a lot of money before his contract expires next March.
5th year options on the top 5 picks in 2017:
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) May 2, 2020
1. Browns DE Myles Garrett: yes
2. Bears QB Mitch Trubisky: no
3. 49ers DL Solomon Thomas: no
4. Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette: no
5. Titans WR Corey Davis: no
You mean the Bears don’t wanna pay Mitch Trubisky $25 million in 2021?!
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) May 2, 2020
Just a few thoughts on the #Bears’ decision to not pick up Mitch Trubisky’s fifth-year option.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) May 2, 2020
1. Absolutely no one should be surprised by this.
The Bears still like Mitch the person but they’ve wanted more from Mitch the quarterback.
2. Remember all the "outrage" when GM Ryan Pace said that Mitch Trubisky was still the #Bears' starter after the season?
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) May 2, 2020
Yeah, that was always misplaced. I never understood it. Changes always were coming. It was always a matter of how far the Bears went with them.
3. The #Bears will give Mitch Trubisky a good look when they return to practice -- whenever that is -- but Nick Foles is under contract for three years. Remember that.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) May 2, 2020
5. The #Bears could have picked up Mitch Trubisky's 5th-year option. It's only guaranteed for injury. They rescinded Leonard Floyd's.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) May 2, 2020
But there were optics -- internally and externally -- to consider. They know how he played in 2019. He couldn't be "rewarded."
