Latest news with #Trubisky
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills QB Competition Has Pre-Camp Leader
Bills QB Competition Has Pre-Camp Leader originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills are hosting a quarterback competition for anyone not named Josh Allen. Buffalo's franchise player has had quite the summer already: He signed a six-year, $330 million extension, got married to Hollywood actress Hailee Steinfeld and won his first MVP award. Allen is doing alright; he may have some of the best job security in the NFL. Advertisement A more uncertain job is that of his backup quarterback. Last year it was failed first-round draft pick Mitchell Trubisky in his first year in Buffalo. Thankfully because of Allen's durability, Trubisky only had to play more than a few snaps in one game: the regular season finale when Buffalo sat their starters. This offseason, he has faced Mike White in what has turned out to be an interested battle for the backup QB position. Last season was also White's first year with the Bills, but he only appeared in one game to Trubisky's nine on the year. In the battle for QB2, beat writer Matt Parrino noted how White has out-performed Trubisky at Bills' OTAs and is threatening to make a jump up the depth chart. Advertisement "White was better than Trubisky this spring - it's as simple as that," Parrino said. "He gets the ball out faster, has more zip on his throws, and is willing to take chances to make plays. "[GM Brandon] Beane said nothing is earned, and White will get an opportunity to compete with Mitch Trubisky for the backup spot this summer." So while it might be early, Trubisky could see his job snatched, which could mean bad news for his future with the Bills. The former No. 2 overall pick of the Chicago Bears in 2017 has not turned into anything like he was cracked up to be long-term. Outside of his Pro Bowl season in 2018, the North Carolina product has struggled to stay in the starting lineup at various stops. He joined the Bills for one season in 2021, then bounced to the Pittsburgh Steelers before being cut and signing back with Buffalo. Advertisement White joined the Bills last season after being cut by the Miami Dolphins which followed an ample amount of time spent mainly as a sub with the New York Jets. In 2024, White didn't do much in his limited action, going 3-11 for 28 yards in Buffalo's Week 18 game. Following this ringing endorsement, White appears to be the leader in the clubhouse as the Bills prepare to reevaluate the competition at training camp in late July. The former fifth-rounder in White could move up the ladder and slide below Allen on the depth chart, leaving the Bills with a trade or cut decision for Trubisky in the final year of his contract. Related: Bills' Josh Allen Leads QB Foursome Being Shockingly Ranked With All-Time Greats Related: Bills' Brandon Beane Tight-Lipped On James Cook Contract Status This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears All-Quarter Century Team: Quarterbacks
Twenty-five years of Chicago Bears football are in the books since the turn of the century. Since the calendar turned over to 2000, the Bears have seen some success, but also plenty of woeful stretches. Early on, Chicago became a defensive force, claiming four division titles and reaching only their second Super Bowl in franchise history from 2000 to 2010. Since then, however, a 14-year playoff victory drought that is still ongoing and a one-sided fight with their rival Green Bay Packers have taken the spotlight. For all the ups and downs the Bears have seen, however, they had plenty of talent over the years across offense and defense. Multiple former Bears players are already in the Hall of Fame, while many more provided years of incredible play in the navy and orange. Here at Bears Wire, we're celebrating the best Bears players at each position over the last 25 years. We're going position by position to name the Bears' All-Quarter Century Team for those who played from 2000 through 2024. Up first are quarterbacks, a position that the Bears have historically struggled to develop but still had stretches of productivity. Jay Cutler It's no secret that the quarterback position has been a liability for the Bears over the last 25 years. Even as the league has shifted to more of a passing focus, the Bears are still the only team without a 4,000-yard passer. They got close a couple times with Jay Cutler, though, who holds the team record for most passing yards (23,443) and touchdowns (154) in franchise history. Cutler never reached the heights many believed he would when the Bears landed him in a blockbuster trade with the Denver Broncos in 2009. He had stretches of brilliance thanks to his rocket arm and above-average athleticism, but his decision-making wound up costing the Bears more often than not. Cutler has the most 3,000-yard passing seasons in Bears history with five and led Chicago to their last playoff victory during the 2010 season. Despite his flaws, no other Bears quarterback comes close to his production over the last 25 years. Nearly 10 years after he last put on a Bears uniform, you will still find plenty of highlights circulating social media with fans marveling at Cutler's talent. Mitchell Trubisky Behind Cutler is Mitchell Trubisky, a polarizing player, but one who stands out as the second-best passer of the last 25 years. Trubisky is the only quarterback to have led the Bears to multiple postseason berths this century and has the highest passer rating of any Bears quarterback with more than 5,000 career passing yards, with 87.2. Trubisky was never a turnover machine and had efficient games during his four seasons as the primary starter. His six-touchdown performance against the Tampa Buccaneers in 2018 still lives in Bears lore. Trubisky was limited in what he could do on the field, though, and never became more than an average starter at best. The former No. 2 overall pick was never as bad on the field as some made him out to be, but his flaws were magnified given the superstar play of Patrick Mahomes, whom the Bears passed up on in favor of Trubisky. With respect to Kyle Orton's ability to manage a game, Rex Grossman's postseason success, and Justin Fields' electrifying runs, Trubisky provided the most consistency at the position for an extended period of time since 2000. Honorable mention: Caleb Williams Bears All-Quarter Century Team Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Allen Robinson reveals the 1 play he wishes he had back from his Bears career
Allen Robinson reveals the 1 play he wishes he had back from his Bears career It's been over six years since the Chicago Bears experienced one of the most heartbreaking playoff losses in recent memory — the double doink, 43-yard missed field goal by Cody Parkey against the Philadelphia Eagles. Though the entire roster has turned over at this point and more backbreaking losses have occurred since then, the double doink always seems to come up in some manner every now and then. This time, it was with former Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson, who recounted how special that 2018 season was on the "This is Football" podcast with Kevin Clark. Robinson discussed how he felt the team felt confident about their chances against the Los Angeles Rams if they had advanced thanks to Vic Fangio's defense, while also going through his thoughts during the infamous missed field goal while on the sidelines. "I didn't watch the entire time; I just kind of sat there with my head down a little bit, waiting to hear the cheer from the crowd," Robinson told Clark. "I'm waiting and I'm waiting, and then you hear the thud hit the upright, then you hear the second thud when it hits the crossbar, and then you hear the sigh from the fans." Robinson said he remembered the moment like it was yesterday and wished he could go back in time to prevent the kick from needing to happen. When Clark asked Robinson if there was a play he could redo from his career, the former Pro Bowl receiver pointed to a specific instance from that game. "Now that you mentioned it, maybe a play in the game that we had the double doink," Robinson said. "There was actually a play in the game where we took a shot to the end zone. If I could have maybe communicated to Mitch [Trubisky] to maybe allow me to have that shot to the end zone and be able to come down and make a play so we aren't in that double doink situation because I thought that we would have had a historic year in Chicago if we got past that game." Though Robinson didn't dive into specifics, we know the Bears took a shot to the end zone just prior to the field goal attempt. Trubisky targeted Anthony Miller on a heave, who was blanketed in the slot and didn't have a shot at the ball. The pass fell five yards in front of Miller, while Robinson ran a curl route in single coverage. That could be the play Robinson is talking about. Another possibility posed by X user BShulkes was a play where Trubisky fired a pass to Robinson near the end of the third quarter, but he was ruled out of bounds. Had the play counted, the Bears would have had first and goal from inside the five-yard line. Instead, they had to settle for a 34-yard field goal. Who knows what happens if Robinson runs a route to the end zone in that situation. Trubisky was already under pressure and needed to rush the throw, so there was no guarantee anything would have changed. Still, it's a game that haunts Robinson to this day, and despite totaling 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown, he wishes he could have done more. It's another disappointing reminder of what could have been. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
10 roster decisions the Bills must make for 2025 and advice on each
10 roster decisions the Bills must make for 2025 and advice on each The Buffalo Bills 2023 season concluded with an 11-6 record, another AFC East crown, a No. 2 playoff seed, and another division-round exit. GM Brandon Beane is looking to improve and help get the Bills into the Super Bowl in 2024. To do so, this offseason, he'll aim to get Buffalo's roster younger at key positions and to hit on draft picks for more immediate contributors. He'll also restructure contracts and look at extensions to get under the salary cap. Buffalo has another long list of players poised to hit free agency and some who could be cap casualties, so they'll need to make a call on which of those players could factor into the team's long-term plans to know who to prioritize. From potential cut candidates to re-signings, to whether to let some players walk as free agents, here are some roster decisions the Bills must make for 2024... QB Mitch Trubisky Trubisky is now the Bills' strongest trade chip. Third string QB and former Jets starter, Mike White, re-upped with Buffalo, and the practice squad QB Shane Buechele provides depth. So Buffalo's in the best position they've been in to flip Trubisky for a good return. In terms of the current market, and why it's the best it's been for a Trubisky trade, is this year's NFL Draft is historically weak at the quarterback position group, with a full round dropoff between the two top QBs of their class who figure to come off the board in the first several picks. Trubisky offers veteran and starter experience at a younger, prime age than some of those in the free agency market, but he also offers the type of redeemable talent in the right system that could make him an attractive option to teams looking to fill their quarterback room. Like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, Trubisky was a top draft pick who could thrive in the right offense. And at the very least provide a reliable and experienced backup. There are a number of teams that need a quarterback this offseason, whether as a starter or backup, or as a bridge to a younger QB in development. It would stand to reason that not all of them are going to find one in this draft, or want to go with some of the remaining QBs in the free agent market nearing the ends of their careers. Enter Mitch Trubisky as the best option who could be the latest NFL reclamation player, bridge starter, or backup available via trade. Advice for the Bills is to give the Vikings, Steelers, Browns, and Rams a call to offer Trubisky for some draft capital, a trade up or down the draft board, or a player at a position of need. RB James Cook Cook turned up the hot stove at the start of the offseason with demands for a new contract at $15M per year. It was never a logical request in that the payroll and timeline are not subject to nor do they revolve around a single player. What's more, the price tag, which would put him in the same tier as generational talents who've put up regular statistical seasons at the top of the league to earn their current deals, and who helped lead their teams to the Super Bowl in Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley. Cook has not done that. Yet. He has had two consecutive seasons with 1,000+ yards rushing as an RB1 with consecutive Pro Bowl appearances though his latest was as an alternate swap in for Derrick Henry. 2024 was Cook's sole season so far at the top of the league in his position group, and his attempts to negotiate a new deal haven't worked as of yet. The best thing for both parties would be for Cook to re-sign on a new deal with Buffalo. There aren't any NFL Super Bowl contenders with the type of historic quarterback Buffalo has outside of Kansas City, which is a club in transition that could be falling behind the other top contenders in the AFC. That being said, if Cook's camp wanted to get a fair deal done during this offseason, they would have just like the other five Bills players with new contracts did (Allen, Rousseau, Benford, Shakir, Bernard). It would stand to reason that the Bills adding a deep threat receiver on offense in Josh Palmer, as well as a resurgent year for tight end Dalton Kincaid and receiver and Swiss Army weapon and rusher Curtis Samuel, as well as a next step by receiver Keon Coleman and receiving running back Ray Davis in their second year, and continued shared duties by recieving back Ty Johnson... Cook's opportunities to contribute in coordinator Joe Brady's diversely distributed offense figure to be around the same as the last two seasons. That being said, one of the areas Brady's offense can improve is by going to playmakers a bit more, which could give Cook some more opportunities as well. Advice for the Bills is to continue to stay the course on Cook's situation and reward him with a fair new deal that reflects his development, role, and production over the past couple of seasons, plus this upcoming one if he plays without a new deal, as well as one in context of the offensive line that's helped make those seasons possible. Advice for Cook is to be more realistic about the market and where he's at in his progression, align back with the Bills' culture and locker room too earn back trust, do the talking through with his play on the field, and to stop letting outside influences impact his behavior, which has been out of character for him as well as the team, and which created a self-focused distraction that he has expressed he didn't truly want to. The Bills will take care of him just like they do with their other players, but culture fit is as important to them as on-field performance. C Conor McGovern Extension ready. McGovern is the next player with whom the Bills might get a deal done. He's proven last season to have made the transition to Center, and would be one of the players that it makes the most sense to extend on a new pact that locks him in for additional time as a Bill and creates cap space. Advice is to get that deal done after the draft. TE Dawson Knox Knox is the type of player who could be a Bill-for-life, and is the most tenured and experienced target for Allen and is compensated as a TE1 would be. He was not utilized that way enough by Brady last season, though he did turn in one of his most efficient seasons to date. Knox is a prime candidate to restructure his deal and convert some of his earnings to a signing bonus to help the cap, and advice for him and the Bills is to do just that. LT Dion Dawkins Like Knox, Dawkins is a tenured part of the Bills' offense who can help the team re-work his deal to help the team with cap space. Converting his $11.1 million base salary would create $9.43 million in cap space, and advice for both team and player is to do just that as well. WR Curtis Samuel It's an important season for Samuel, he'll need to justify the contract he signed with Buffalo last offseason following a lackluster outing in his first season as a Bill. He showed signs of doing just that near the end of the 2024 campaign. Advice for the Bills is to monitor Samuel's play closely this season, and if he underperforms, to rework his deal at a fairer price tag or move on in favor of Cook's new deal. Advice for Samuel is to keep his late-season productivity and momentum going to avoid those scenarios. CB Taron Johnson Johnson can be restructured as well to create cap space, and the advice to both player and team would be to do so and convert his salary to create some cap space. DT Ed Oliver Converting the majority of Oliver's $13.75 million base salary into a prorated signing bonus can create $8.33 million in savings in 2025 without adding any void years, whereas he entered he offseason carrying the third-largest cap hit. Advice to Oliver and the Bills, to maximize their mutual timeline of Super Bowl competition window, is to restructure to free up cap space this season and beyond. P Jake Camarda & P Brad Robbins It's officially a kick-off between these two punters to see who will leg it out this season for Buffalo. Camarada and Robbins will compete for starting duties after Buffalo released veteran Sam Martin. Camarada's reserve/futures deal he signed with Buffalo in January gives the 25-year-old, who averaged 50 yards per punt with Tampa during the 2023 NFL season, a shot. Robbins, at age 26, doesn't have the power Buffalo has looked for in the past in its kickers under Sean McDermott, but does offer the type of hang time that could prevent big returns. As punter is evidently one of the key positions, Buffalo is looking to get younger at per last season's offseason mandate by GM Brandon Beane, letting these two duke it out in training camp, and/or adding another player to the competition to see who comes out on top, is the logical advice here. RB Darryngton Evans Evans could be another returning project or an insurance policy as a depth piece should things start to be taken back in the wrong direction by Cook's camp. Either way, he is a speedy prospect back who's been staggered by injuries and brought in, then cut loose by Buffalo before. They clearly see something there to bring him back, and could keep him on if he plays out with upside to keep their running back group rotation and legs fresh during the regular season. Advice on Evans is to let him compete as projected for a depth or practice squad spot to give them a next man up in the rotation or depth chart at a position that has a greater physical workload than some others, and similarly increased risk of injury.
