Mitchell Trubisky expects ‘a jump’ in Year 2 with Bears

As Mitchell Trubisky prepares for Year 2 of his NFL career, he doing it with plenty of confidence.

That confidence stems from being firmly in place as the Chicago Bears starting quarterback. Last season, he took over from Week 1 starter Mike Glennon in the fifth game, and never looked back.

There were some ups and downs, and moments when Coach John Fox and staff weren’t ready to put on the offensive responsibility on Trubisky as a rookie.

Fox is no longer the coach in Chicago. His replacement, Matt Nagy — a former Chiefs assistant under Andy Reid — brings a spread-type offense that seems perfectly suited for Trubisky’s talents.

Couple that with a confidence that continues to grow, and an influx of new offensive talent, it’s easy to understand the Mentor graduate’s excitement for 2018.

“I definitely expect to make a jump from Year 1 to Year 2,” Trubisky said June 11 during Day 1 of his Mentor Youth Football Camp. “But it’s all about getting better every single day and being the leader I need to be for my teammates and making sure everyone is working hard and doing their job.”

How that “jump” translates to the field could be more wins that five the Bears registered in 2017. Or it could be a jump in statistics. Or both.

In 12 starts as a rookie, he completed nearly 60 percent of his 330 pass attempts. He amassed 2,193 passing yards and threw seven touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Trubisky’s finest moments were against the two Ohio teams on Chicago’s 2017 schedule. In Week 14 in a 33-7 win at Cincinnati, he was 25 of 32 passing for 271 yards with a TD pass and TD run. Two weeks later in a 20-3 home win vs. the Browns, he was equally as efficient. Trubisky was 14 of 23 passing for 193 yards, ran for 44 yards on seven attempts, and rushed for a score.

That potential Trubisky showed as a rookie has Bears fans excited for 2018, but there’s more. The team added free-agent receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, and tight end Trey Burton from the Super Bowl champion Eagles.

That talent will be on display on a national TV audience in Weeks 1 and 2. The Bears open the regular season on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” Sept. 9 at Green Bay. The next week, they host the Seahawks on Sept. 17 on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”

Bears fans will be pumped for that start, but don’t forget about the QB who will be leading the way.

“We kind of have a clean slate, and new head coach and a bunch of new players so it definitely feels like a different team this year,” Trubisky said. “I know exactly what to expect as a starter. I think I’ll be well prepared this year.”

Asked what to expect from the Bears’ offense under Nagy, Trubisky said: “It’s a different (offensive) system for sure. It’s more spread with pro-style set principles. We’ll be chucking it around and throwing it down field.”

As the starting QB and face of the franchise, Trubisky said there’s more to it then just showing off his right arm and athletic ability.

“My job is to make everyone else’s easier,” he said. “I need to keep coming to work and showing the love and passion I have for this game.”

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