(670 The Score) At the end of a turbulent fourth season in Chicago, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky walked off the field in a Bears uniform perhaps for the last time but not before meeting with his childhood idol.
There to greet him after the Bears' 21-9 loss to the Saints in the wild-card round Sunday in New Orleans was future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, the player whom Trubisky aspired to become. As he heads into an offseason of uncertainty, Trubisky is still drawing inspiration from Brees.
"Watching his career path, you're never out of this," Trubisky said last week. "So, he goes from one team to another, a lot of people counted him out and then he goes on to be a Hall of Fame quarterback and have a lot of success in this league."
Trubisky seems set on a change of scenery after struggling in Chicago. The Bears selected him at No. 2 overall in the 2017 Draft, choosing him over the likes of current stars in Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. That decision looms large over the careers of Trubisky and general manager Ryan Pace as well as the entire Bears organization.
It's why Trubisky and the Bears parting ways and creating a fresh start this offseason could be mutually beneficial. Trubisky is set become one of the top quarterbacks on the free-agent market -- perhaps the second-best option behind Cowboys star Dak Prescott -- and should draw plenty of interest.
The Bears could also still try to bring back Trubisky, but would he want to return?
"Everything is on the table," Pace said of possibilities with Trubisky.
Pace was retained for a seventh season as general manager, in turn giving him a fourth chance to bring the Bears an answer at quarterback. He has missed badly in signing veterans Mike Glennon and Nick Foles in addition to the ill-fated selection of Trubisky over Mahomes and Watson.
Given the urgency to salvage what opportunity the Bears might still have with the current makeup of their roster, Pace needs to be aggressive in adding another quarterback. The trouble is the Bears have minimal cap space and own the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- a slot that likely will leave them looking at the fourth- or fifth-best quarterback prospect. The Bears find themselves in an unenviable spot.
"It's pretty clear we need better production from the quarterback position in order to be successful," Bears chairman George McCaskey said Wednesday.
Foles is the Bears' lone quarterback under contract for 2021. Despite his poor production in nine games, Pace said injuries and inconsistencies on offense left "some evaluation" to still be had on Foles.
If the Texans shop an unhappy Watson on the trade market, the Bears would certainly need to inquire given that he would instantly bring Chicago its best quarterback in franchise history. Of course, the asking price would likely be sky high, so that possibility could quickly be put to rest. It would also be worth exploring what the Cowboys could seek in a potential sign-and-trade deal centered on Prescott, who made $31.4 million on the franchise tag in 2020.
What's more feasible for the Bears would be drafting a quarterback in a loaded class. Beyond the top prospects in Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State's Justin Fields are the likes of BYU's Zach Wilson, North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Alabama's Mac Jones. While Wilson seems less likely to fall to No. 20, Lance and Jones are among the likely options the Bears would have in the first round.
Taking a quarterback at No. 20 overall wouldn't be a defining pick for Pace given that he already missed on Trubisky and others at the position, but it could help halt the franchise's current downward spiral and give him an opportunity to redeem himself.
What's clear is the Bears still have faith in Pace and are giving him the right to try again at quarterback. The end of these four years with Trubisky would bring a new opportunity for all involved.
Trubisky, Pace and the Bears would then have the chance to find peace apart.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.