It finally clicked. It took a while, but it hit me. It was an ‘a-ha’ moment that followed what I thought was an ‘a-ha’ moment.
The Chicago Bears pulled off an incredible magic trick, right down to the sleight-of-hand, when drafting Mitchel Trubisky.
I am one who constantly buys into the teachings of successful entrepreneurs and, as a result, I am usually drawn to outside-the-box thinking. But, I see that all the time. I see Cleveland hire a baseball executive to run its football operations and I immediately buy in – to a fault, I went in too soon, as I expected them to be a tad better than 1-15, last year; but make no mistake, Cleveland is on the rise. I see companies constantly shake off conventional wisdom and succeed. These stories are no longer unique.
What is unique is the rare example of an organization pulling off an unconventional move that goes unnoticed.
When Chicago traded up to draft Mitchel Trubisky, it advanced by exactly one draft slot. Technically, the Bears did not ‘jump’ over any other team. Initially, it could be argued that Chicago just competed against itself, as San Francisco – by virtue of trading the pick away – confirmed that it was not taking the Bears’ preferred player. In fact, as soon as the 49ers began negotiating the move with Chicago, the Bears could have had their answer regarding San Francisco’s intention – Trubisky wouldn’t be going to the 49ers.
What the Bears actually did was protect themselves from losing Trubisky to another team that could have traded into the second slot in the draft. They eliminated the competition by, indeed, competing against themselves. But, this is not necessarily a novel revelation. Drafting Trubisky was clearly always in the plans and they simply acted aggressively – too aggressively, in the minds of some – to make it happen. Like any good magician, Chicago was unfolding an illusion we thought we understood in one hand, while pulling off the trick with the other.
The one-slot draft-day upgrade was essential to the Bears getting their man. After all, they were already deep into a game no one else knew they were playing. How deep? One that had apparently ended in my mind, only to realize that, months later, the Bears actually won.
Rewinding the tape to the days that led up to the 2017 NFL Draft, the question of Mitchel Trubisky’s eventual landing spot was highly debated. But, of all the teams linked to Trubisky – Jets, Browns, Cardinals and Chargers looking ahead – the Bears were mysteriously left off the list. At least, as serious contenders. The reason behind this was simple: Chicago just signed Mike Glennon to a three-year deal; why would they need Trubisky?
It was the perfect play.
The Bears handed the ball to Glennon and gave him a lead blocker. This was his job now. But, elsewhere, as no one was looking, another player loomed. This player was a threat. That is, until Glennon got the ball. Now this other player is a forgotten man. Useless. Until the play reverses field and this mystery man is now the one commanding the attention.
Working back from this convoluted analogy, it appears as if the Bears did not sign Glennon for the sole purpose of being the team’s starting quarterback. They signed him to be the decoy.
If any analyst linked Trubisky to the Bears, he or she was instantly overruled by the simple comment that, “Chicago already paid a lot of money to Glennon.” This is right. It is a fact. The Bears did commit money to Glennon. But, we connected the dots and assumed that it took Trubisky off-the-table.
Most importantly, this brilliant move by the Bears’ front office led the rest of the league – Chicago’s competition for this single asset – to assume the Bears would not take Trubisky. It worked. No other team but Chicago itself felt compelled to move to the second overall draft pick because no other team felt Trubisky would be selected with the second overall pick. And, as an added bonus, the lack of competition lowered the demand for San Francisco’s pick and left Chicago likely paying a lower price – especially because the 49ers had absolutely no fear that Chicago would take their player.
The final twist to the trick is quite possibly the simplest of all: despite Glennon being a nicely-paid decoy, he is also a capable quarterback who was sought out in high demand. He might prove to be the better option, after all. Regardless, Glennon enters Chicago from the ‘darling position’ of the league. That is, nearly every team’s fanbase absolutely loves the ‘backup quarterback.’ Maybe this character hasn’t proven he will succeed, but he has yet to prove he will fail, and that hope carries a price tag. The Bears now own this product of hope and can readjust this price tag, if desired.
The downside of a team entering training camp with two quarterbacks each deserving of attention for one-reason-or-another is always worth considering, but with no proven commodities at the most important position on the field, the Bears have little to lose while finding the right piece to fit their puzzle. Especially after going through such lengths to make it happen.
In the end, I don’t know if Trubisky will be ‘the answer.’ I don’t know if he’ll lead a team to the Super Bowl or be another cautionary tale. But I did learn one thing over the past few months: the Chicago Bears are quietly showing signs of a well-run, soon-to-be successful organization.