10 Most Important Bears of 2018: No. 1 - Mitchell Trubisky: Was there ever any doubt?

This is my tenth annual 10 Most Important Chicago Bears list, and it’s fitting that number ten himself, Mitchell Trubisky, receives the top spot.

The starting quarterback is the most important position in all of team sports, and the Bears’ starting QB has graced my top spot in eight of the ten years I’ve done this list. These Bears will only go as far as Trubisky can take them in 2018 — and beyond. The running game will be strong again this year, but unless the quarterback is able to provide a legitimate threat, the Matt Nagy offense will not work.

Some analysts are already poo-pooing the potential jump that we’re all hoping Trubisky can make, but some are all aboard the Tru-Hype Train. It’s funny how professional football analysts can have such a difference of opinion on one player. I think those that are down on him as a prospect are either just looking at his raw stats, or breaking down his play without taking into consideration the awful offense he was playing in.

Here at Windy City Gridiron we’ve taken an analytical look at what we could expect from Trubisky moving forward, and we’ve looked at how his skill set translates into what the new offense can be.

Here are some of our recent articles on him.

• Live for tomorrow: Mitchell Trubisky’s rookie year compares well historically
• I’m not worried about Trubisky’s “Window”
• A quarterback-centered Bears’ coaching staff puts the onus on Mitchell Trubisky
• Chicago Bears Number Mill: Trubisky’s Rookie Performance Associated with Favorable Odds of Future Success
• What Can Bears Fans Expect From Matt Nagy’s Offense?
• A new age, part three: These Chicago Bears’ game-plans can be dangerous
• What Matt Nagy’s tendencies with the Chiefs says about his Bears offense

For a GIF heavy look at Trubisky’s play from last year this Twitter thread is a must see.

Just click that Tweet and scroll through it all. I promise you’ll like what you see.

I’m expecting a nice jump in play from Trubisky in 2018. I’m not talking Pro Bowl material (yet), but his skill set is a perfect fit for what the team will do in Nagy’s offense. He’s also asserting himself as a team leader and it seems like a role he’s comfortable in.

Offensive lineman Kyle Long talked with ESPN in April about Trubisky’s demeanor. “I can’t put words to it,” Long said. “What Mitch Trubisky was born with was something that not a lot of people were born with. I can’t explain it. When you’re around him, you feel it and it’s real. Quiet confidence and a sense of calm and comfortability with the situation, any situation he’s put in.”

Long doubled down on his praise for Trubisky earlier today. “Without a shadow of a doubt, our guy No. 10 is our leader, and that’s echoed throughout our locker room,” Long said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He’s not afraid to call a guy like myself out, if the effort is lacking. He just makes everything look easy.”

Starting running back Jordan Howard recently talked with chicagobears.com about the difference from Trubisky’s rookie year to this offseason. “He asserted himself a lot last year, but I definitely feel like a lot more people are listening to him. He has a lot greater command of the locker room and stuff because he’s the quarterback for sure now.”

Bears general manager Ryan Pace talked about Trubisky with Dan Pompei of The Athletic in May.

“You can see him taking more of an authoritative approach,” he said. “The way he commands the huddle, the way he talks to teammates, you can see him taking ownership. And it seems very comfortable and natural. His skill set fits this offense–his athleticism, his quick release. So we’re really excited. He and the head coach are extremely passionate. That’s a great feeling when you pull out of the hours late at night and they are still there. Mitch is always at the facility, off days, always.”

Our own Jacob Infante interviewed Trubisky on July 2, and here’s some of what he told Jacob.

“At the end of the day, you’ve just got to be yourself. I’ve studied a lot of quarterbacks and I’ve tried to take a little bit from everybody’s game, but it’s all about playing your game and playing this game you know how.”

“Everyone’s different, so you just got to do what comes natural to you and be your own person: lead the way you know how, work the way you know how. I’m just being me. I’m not dealing with anybody else’s expectations besides my own. I’ve just got to make sure that my teammates believe in me day in and day out - which they do, and it’s given me a lot of confidence up to this point - and I’m excited about this season, but I’m not going to be anyone but myself, and be the person I know how to be.”

I think we’re going to see the player that Ryan Pace envisioned when he traded up to draft him last year; athletic, accurate, and confident.

I’m excited for the future of the Bears with Trubisky under center, and I hope to have him land at number one on my 10 Most Important Bears list for the next ten years.

In case you missed any on my Top 10 Most Important Bears, you can find them all in this story stream right here, and for those that would rather see them in a quick video form, Jake Flannigan (@JakeFlannigan) whipped up a sweet visual for you guys.

And as an FYI, here’s how I had things at number one through my 10 years at WCG.

2009 - Jay Cutler
2010 - Cutler
2011 - Cutler
2012 - Cutler
2013 - Cutler
2014 - Cutler
2015 - John Fox
2016 - Cutler
2017 - Jordan Howard
2018 - Trubisky