Why Nick Foles Can Be Bears Quarterback of the Future
The Chicago Bears are living in the now.
They took the first big step last week toward solving the perpetual misery that is their quarterback position. It seems like a temporary repair to bench Mitchell Trubisky and replace him with a 31-year-old journeyman like Nick Foles. Sure, Foles is a Super Bowl MVP journeyman but a journeyman nonetheless.
The next step comes with Foles' first start Sunday against easilly the most formidable opponent the Bears have faced. The Indianpolis Colts at 2-1 are far more capable than the stumbling, bumbling Atlanta Falcons.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old franchise quarterback is benched. Mitchell Trubisky has no contract for next year and the Bears appear to be a team without a future at quarterback.
Trubisky deserved it. He regressed, as he always does when people begin to see something in him. This time he even had Pro Football Focus fooled, one of his greatest all-time critics.
Trubisky's completion percentage of 59.3 is worse than his rookie year with Dowell Loggains and John Fox. His interception percentage is 3.5, far above his 2.3% career mark. His yards per attempt is the second lowest of his career. He did all this against the who's not of the NFC: the Falcons, the Giants and the Lions.
So what do the Bears do about a quarterback of the future? If you believe fantasy, you'll like the talk on the internet this week about them trading for Sam Darnold because he's frustrated and wants out of New York.
With Adam Gase and Dowell Loggains running the show, no one in Chicago would blame him.
The Bears already have done this type of trade in the past for a young quarterback who some like. He wore jersey No. 6 and people liked photo-shopping cigarettes into his mouth. Now Jay Cutler is on the web chasing chickens and the Bears went through about three years of salary cap hell.
Here's one suggestion. Their quarterback of the future, at least for the next two or three years, could very well be Sunday's quarterback. They can draft a guy for down the road come spring. For now, Nick Foles is the guy and there's no reason he can't be for years going forward.
Foles is 31. Packers fans can only wish Aaron Rodgers was merely 31, and he's looking pretty sharp at 60 days shy of his 37th birthday. So 31 is still just starting out.
The Colts didn't seem to mind signing on Philip Rivers, who will be 39 in 65 days. After a couple interceptions in his first start, he's settling in nicely. Next Thursday, the Bears will get to see the ultimate in geriatric passers, Tom Brady.
"You see it now, the age of these quarterbacks that are taking such great care of their bodies in the offseason and Nick is one of those guys," Bears coach Matt Nagy said. "The nutrition that he takes, he trains in the offseason, it allows these guys to play longer.
"I definitely think he is one of those guys that falls into that category. And so, you know, you understand that, you appreciate that."
If all goes like it did for Foles in his first appearance, there's no reason to call him a stop-gap type or a bridge quarterback. He's never had a chance to settle in as the starter anywhere.
In fact, a better football marriage couldn't be made―the city forever without a quarterback and the quarterback who never has a place to call home.
Foles has won six times in his eight first starts to seasons, and the two losses can be completely discounted. He lost as a rookie in his first start, which is entirely understandable. He lost last year when he broke his collarbone 11 plays into the season.
This won't be easy considering the Colts are No. 1 in defense, but then again they've played a schedule every bit as lame as the one the Bears played.
"So you've got a rookie in 2012 who ends up playing some, and then you've got a second-year guy in 2013 that breaks the NFL record for touchdowns in a game," Nagy said. "He's a much different quarterback now than he was in 2013. He also, in Jacksonville, had a really good training camp and ended up unfortunately getting hurt, and then, you know, never came back.
"But I think for him, he’s excited about this opportunity and he knows things happen and all that. But I definitely think, being 31, is by no means old."
Sunday could be the beginning of a great relationship or it could be just another disappointment in a city where quarterbacks end up quickly in discard piles, even those drafted second overall four years ago.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
