Matt Rourke/AP
The Chicago Bears' decision to trade up to No. 2 in the NFL Draft on Thursday and take UNC quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was one of the biggest surprises of the first round.Almost immediately, the trade didn't look good on the surface.
The Bears, slated to draft third overall, traded their No. 3 pick, 2017 third- and fourth-round picks, and a 2018 third-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers to nab Trubisky second overall.
In the long run, the trade will be viewed by how well Trubisky plays and what those traded picks turn into.
In the meantime, the Bears' plans for this offseason are looking increasingly half-baked. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Bears didn't even inform head coach John Fox of the plan to move up and draft Trubisky until "a couple of hours before."
On one hand, this suggests that the Bears only decided last minute that Trubisky was worthwhile and, thus, informed Fox when they decided to make the trade. On the other, it could mean the Bears were basically undecided on their draft and future until the last minute and that their head coach had little knowledge or say in the matter.
There are other indications that this was an ill-advised deal for the Bears. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the 49ers did have another offer from a team to move up to No. 2; however, the Bears outbid that team. Whether that other team would have selected Trubisky or whether the 49ers would have accepted that offer is unclear, but obviously, the Bears were forced to up the ante on their offer.
Furthermore, ESPN's Todd McShay reported on Thursday that he believes the Bears probably could have taken Trubisky at No. 3. NFL Network's Michael Silver added that the 49ers were not going to take Trubisky themselves.
Making matters more confusing, the Bears also gave one of the most puzzling contracts in free agency when they signed former Buccaneers backup quarterback Mike Glennon a three-year, $45 million deal. The first year of that contract is worth about $14 million and only $18.5 million is guaranteed. The Bears can essentially opt out of the deal after the first year.
Still, the question begs asking - why pay Glennon so much money, even if it's only for one year, to go then draft a quarterback who almost certainly will be his replacement? If the Bears wanted to find a one-year starter, they could have found a cheaper veteran, knowing their future rookie would develop under him for a year.
The whole ordeal seems to have lacked planning. And while the Bears could be in worse spots than having two young quarterbacks to develop, trading for Trubisky comes at a price, as noted by Rapoport.
The Bears now have a lot riding on Trubisky, and if he fails to develop into a franchise quarterback, the trade may be looked back upon as a cautionary tale for other teams.
Wow. Per @mortreport, even @ChicagoBears coach John Fox didn't know about plan to draft QB Mitchell Trubisky until a couple hours before.
- Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 28, 2017#Bears gave a 3rd, 4th & future 3rd to move from No. 3 to 2. In 2012, #Browns went from No. 4 to 3 for a 4th, 5th & 7th for Trent Richardson
- Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 28, 2017