The Chicago Bears traded for Nick Foles during free agency to create competition with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. Their preseason battle won't be settled, at least publicly, until the season opener.
Bears coach Matt Nagy told reporters Saturday he will not announce a starting QB before Chicago's Week 1 game versus the Detroit Lions. That perhaps gives Foles and Trubisky two more weeks to win the job, though local reports have been consistent that the newcomer has outplayed the incumbent and appears to be slightly ahead. Nagy declined to say which quarterback has been better thus far, per ESPN's Jeff Dickerson.
Chicago is merely looking for an upgrade over last season.
The lack of public declaration at this point might be a bit of gamesmanship but also speaks to the uncertainty surrounding the two signal-callers. Trubisky regressed in Year 3, likely costing the 8-8 Bears and their fourth-ranked scoring defense a return trip to the playoffs. Foles, interestingly, wasn't necessarily better during his one-year pit stop in Jacksonville. The former Super Bowl MVP went winless in four starts and, after returning from a shoulder injury, was ultimately benched in favor of rookie Gardner Minshew.
The Bears traded a fourth-round pick to the Jaguars for Foles and quickly restructured his contract, all while declining Trubisky's fifth-year option. While Chicago has a greater financial commitment to the former at this point, how each QB fares on Sundays, should they both play this year, will determine whether either has a future in the Windy City.
Starting the season opener is literally just the beginning.
