Why the Bills Signed Mitch Trubisky

The Buffalo Bills have signed former second overall pick Mitch Trubisky to a one-year, $2.5 million deal to be Josh Allen’s backup in 2021 (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and the team). Now allow me explain why this is the latest in a long line of brilliant moves by Big Baller Cap Wizard Brandon Beane.

Like a Good Neighbor…

Recall when Allen went down against the Raiders (left shoulder) and Chargers (right ankle/knee) last season. Why did fans fear the fate of their season? Because the offense revolves around and works through Josh Allen.

While Matt Barkley was a valuable mentor to Allen, he was not someone you could trust beyond a spot start. As Joe Marino of The Draft Network says, “the Bills roster is and has been too good to be one snap away from Matt Barkley”. He a completely different type of QB. If Allen had missed significant time in 2020, the offense would have suffered greatly. That should not be the case in 2021.

Trubisky has ample experience, having spent the past four seasons as the starting QB of the Chicago Bears. In 51 career games, he completed 1,010 of 1,577 passes (64.0%) for 10,609 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions (per Pro Football Reference). He also rushed for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns on 190 career carries. He is more than capable of leading an NFL offense.

“Trubisky is one of a few players who checks all of my boxes for a backup QB. He is young… has starting experience… and plays a similar style of game as Allen.”

My take on Mitch Trubisky as Bills QB2 (Courtesy of Buffalo Fanatics)

Now that Buffalo has a franchise QB, they needed to secure franchise QB insurance. Not only did Beane do that by signing Trubisky, but he also did so at a cheap rate. (Trubisky is set to make $2.5 million this season, less than $500 thousand more than Matt Barkley made in 2020.)

To quote that famous British adage, if Allen misses time next season, Bills fans, coaches, and players can “keep calm and carry on”.