Spring in the NFL is a cornucopia of offseason optimism consisting of a constant flow of hollow praise from the mouths of coaches and front-office members.
Exhibit A:
Chicago Bears coach John Fox declared No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky had a "great camp" after the three-day rookie minicamp session this weekend.
Whether you believe the Bears trading up to snag the young quarterback was prudent or not, Trubisky's offseason progress will be worth tracking. At North Carolina, the strong-armed passer started just 13 games. He entered the draft with most scouts believing he needed a year of seasoning before earning a starting gig.
"You've got to get him up to speed in your offense," Fox said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. "So I think a guy, regardless of position, has to get comfortable and know what to do -- and how to do it -- and then just really cut loose and play.
"There'll be a lot of classroom work -- and thank God we've got all the off-season to do that. And I think he'll do just fine."
Having a "great camp" during rookie work is hardly a signal the first-round pick is ready to overtake Mike Glennon for the starting gig. It would be a bigger concern if Fox said Trubisky didn't have a "great camp."
The Bearspaid Glennon to be the starter in 2017, the rest is up in the air. Chicago selected Trubisky to be the future under center. This weekend was just a start. How the rest of the progress goes this year with the young quarterback should determine whether Fox is around this time next season to give us an update on Trubisky's improvement.
