Bear Digest

From Starter to Backup in Buffalo

Mitchell Trubisky nearly led the Bears to their first playoff win since 2010 in 2018 but a few years later he signed a backup contract for $2.5 million and one year with the Bills.
Gene Chamberlain|
From Starter to Backup in Buffalo
From Starter to Backup in Buffalo

Exactly at the time Andy Dalton was about to talk to Chicago media for the first time as Bears starting quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky's time with the team quietly ended.

Trubisky signed a one-year deal to back up Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills, a good fit considering his playing style and strengths.

Both Allen and Trubisky are mobile passers, although Allen enjoyed a season far better in 2020 than Trubisky ever did.

Trubisky's departure became apparent long before the Bears ever signed Dalton, as he seemed discarded right from the end of their playoff loss to New Orleans despite comments from GM Ryan Pace at the postseason press conference that he was definitely being considered for a return.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the one-year deal Trubisky signed is worth $2.5 million. It's quite a comedown from the $24.8 million he would have earned had the Bears picked up his fifth-year option last May.

The second pick of the 2017 draft and made by Pace ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, Trubisky never developed the knack for reading defenses or avoiding big mistakes. He led the NFL in red-zone interceptions in 2019 with four and last year in playing just over half the games threw two more.

Trubisky was benched last year in the third game in favor of Nick Foles, who was injured later and now has been tabbed as a backup to Dalton this season. Trubisky returned for the final six games after Foles' injury, led the Bears to a 3-3 record in those games and a playoff berth.

While Trubisky will clearly be the backup and Allen the starter with the Bills, it was Trubisky who had far better statistics over his first two seasons than Allen. Trubisky completed 63.5% with 7.1 yards an attempt and 31 TDs to 19 interceptions for a passer rating of 87.1. Allen had 30 TDs and 21 interceptions, 56.3% completions and just 6.6 yards an attempt for a passer rating of 78.2.

However, Allen blossomed suddenly last year in leading the Bills to a division title and playoff win after being equipped with better weapons like Stefon Diggs. He posted a 107.2 passer rating, 37 TDs to 10 interceptions and 7.9 yards an attempt with a 69.2 completion percentage. He also threw for 4,544 yards.

The Buffalo offense is headed up by Brian Daboll, one of the brighter offensive minds in the league. He was considered for head coaching jobs this past offseason.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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