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According to ESPN’s Field Yates (subscription), he predicts the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback in 2022 will be none other than former Buffalo Bills backup (and Chicago Bears starter) Mitch Trubisky, who’s entering free agency:
Indianapolis Colts
Projected 2022 starter: Mitchell Trubisky
It feels like a matter of when, not if, Wentz will be released by the Colts, ending a disappointing union that has cost draft capital that prevents them from being as serious a suitor for another top-flight quarterback this offseason (on top of the financial ramifications of the Wentz deal).
Is Trubisky perfect? Far from it. But what the Colts would aim to do is lighten the load of Trubisky with a once-again dominant running game and a defense that can cause chaos. The price would not be significant, and there’s enough upside to explore.
With a fairly weak quarterback draft class and limited available upgrades otherwise, the Colts, along with other quarterback needy teams this offseason, could turn to the 2nd overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft—as a bit of a reclamation project of sorts:
Mitch Trubisky drawing lots of FA buzz. Several teams - inc #Commanders, #Steelers and #Saints - are all interested in the former No. 2 pick, sources say. Trubisky is still just 27 - #Bills LOVED having him - and several execs told me Mitch is viewed as a starting QB right now.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 1, 2022
I’ve talked to more NFL teams this week about Mitchell Trubisky than the 22 QB class.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 1, 2022
I think that says a lot.
If you are looking for a QB this year, good luck. The draft class isn’t great and the free-agent market isn’t good. Mitch Trubisky is now a wanted commodity. Think about that.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) March 1, 2022
People will be quite surprised how much Mitch Trubisky will get in FA.
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) March 1, 2022
There are quite a few teams, including a few surprises, that have real, substantial interest. https://t.co/5WTceJzP5O
Trubisky appeared in 6 games for the Bills last season, completing 6 of 8 passes for 43 passing yards and an interception, as well as amassing 24 rushing yards and a touchdown.
He’s a season removed from completing 199 of 297 passes (67%) for 2,055 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions during 10 games (9 starts) in 2020 for the Bears.
While Trubisky will always be known as the quarterback prospect selected ahead of both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL Draft, he also did not benefit from the best initial landing spot—as the Bears offense under now fired head coach Matt Nagy, suffered from overall ineptitude that went beyond just its starting quarterback play.
Like Colts incumbent starter Carson Wentz, Trubisky is a dual-threat quarterback who can make plays with both his arm and legs—and would allow Indy head coach Frank Reich to continue to run his ideal offense featuring RPOs and play-action at the quarterback spot.
That being said, he seems eerily similar to Wentz, so there’s a question of whether this would even be a real upgrade—especially since Wentz is already under contract for 2022 (although, apparently for not much longer reading the tea leaves).
Don’t get me wrong, I think Trubisky makes a lot of sense, much like Las Vegas Raiders’ free agent Marcus Mariota, as a top backup quarterback option who could push a team’s starting quarterback that could use the extra motivation and heated competition, as well as insurance (although we’ve already seen how Wentz fared in Philly when Jalen Hurts was drafted in 2020, so that potential ship may have sailed as a contingency plan).
However, if a team is entering the 2022 season with Trubisky safely penciled in as its ‘Q1’, and there’s no injury to the actual starter, than that’s highly problematic for that team’s chances of seriously competing. The Colts should rightfully continue to aim higher.
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