(Audacy) With NFL free agency rapidly approaching, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
The No. 2 overall pick of Chicago in 2017, Trubisky spent last season backing up Josh Allen in Buffalo and is expected to get $10 million-plus annually on his new deal and compete for a starting job.
The New York Giants have been the team most strongly connected to him, considering the Bills ties to the new regime.
While Trubisky deserves a second chance at a starting job, NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero made quite the puzzling comparison recently in bringing up more accomplished names as comparisons for Trubisky.
“Whatever the perception might be, Trubisky is a one-time Pro Bowl selection who was 29-21 (!) in parts of four seasons as the starter on a Bears team that lost before he took over and lost again after he left,” Pelissero wrote. “Statistically in Years 2-4, Trubisky compares favorably to the likes of Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers at that point in their careers. He’s a good athlete with running ability. He’s a leader. With so many lingering QB questions, somebody will bet on Trubisky’s upside to at least come in and compete.”
That’s quite a high compliment to liken Trubisky, relegated to backup duties last season, to a Hall of Fame quarterback and two future Hall of Famers.
The comparisons -- particularly to Manning, who threw for more than 4,000 yards and was an MVP runner-up in his second season -- were a bit of a headscratcher.
Rivers didn't even start until his third season in the league, so it may not be a fair comparison, but in his third season as a starter, he led the NFL in touchdown passes.
Roethlisberger may be the closest comparison, statistically speaking, to Trubisky early in his career. But even Roethlisberger had 10 more touchdown passes and 13 fewer interceptions than Trubisky in years 2-4.
Perhaps Trubisky can resurrect his career, but comparing him to one of the aforementioned quarterbacks seems to be overstating it at this time.
And if Trubisky does have a career similar to any of those three, then hey, we know who to credit for calling it first.
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