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The Chicago Bears were all but eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a 21-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, as their offense struggled to get off the ground once again.
Smack dab in the middle of the Bears' offensive struggles was Mitchell Trubisky, who completed just 29 of his 53 passes for 334 yards, a touchdown and a couple of interceptions.
This came after a couple of strong performances by Trubisky in Weeks 13 and 14 in wins over the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, but those types of outings have been few and far between for Trubisky in 2019.
In 13 games this season overall (he missed one game due to a shoulder injury), he has thrown for 2,774 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 picks while completing 63.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.2.
This is Trubisky's third year in the NFL, which is generally the year quarterbacks begin to blossom.
But in the case of Trubisky, he has regressed, and that has some Bears fans wanting Chicago to go in a different direction in 2020.
While I won't go as far as to say that the Bears should just dump Trubisky and start from scratch, I do think there is some value in adding a veteran quarterback this offseason to provide Trubisky with some competition and potentially light a fire under him.
To be clear, I am not saying that a lack of competitive spirit is what is causing Trubisky to labor this season, but bringing in another signal-caller could naturally push Trubisky to get better.
Is he capable of it? I don't know. Through three seasons, Trubisky has shown little to no signs of becoming the franchise quarterback Chicago hoped he was when it drafted him second overall back in 2017.
But he is still just 25 years old, and it's not like he hasn't shown any flashes at all.
Last year, for example, Trubisky led the Bears to 12 wins and an NFC North division title. Of course, Chicago's 2018 success was mostly off of the strength of its defense, but Trubisky was at least decent.
This season, Trubisky has been at the center of the Bears' problems, and while he is far from the only issue (Chicago lacks elite offensive talent in general), the problems do start with him, because he is the quarterback.
That's why it might be time for the Bears to consider bringing in an established veteran who can not only put some pressure on Trubisky but also help coach him.
Think guys like Andy Dalton, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and possibly even Eli Manning if he elects to return for a 17th season (which I doubt). Or maybe the Oakland Raiders decide to trade Derek Carr. Who knows?
The funny thing is, all of those guys may even represent better options for the Bears under center. Still, again, this isn't even necessarily about replacing Trubisky at the start of 2020. It's about providing the team with some insurance at the position if Trubisky does flame out, much like the Tennessee Titans did with Marcus Mariota and Tannehill this season.
Basically, Chicago needs help at the quarterback position and acquiring a veteran signal-caller this offseason could go a long way in bringing some clarity to a situation that desperately needs it.
