On Saturday against his old team, Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had himself a game. He went 20-of-28 for 221 yards and a touchdown (should have been two, Matt Breida) against the Chicago Bears. With that very public performance and his pedigree as a top-2 pick, there has come some renewed interest in trying to flip Trubisky for a draft pick. I don’t think that’s a good idea.
He wants to be in Buffalo
First is the message it sends to players of a certain caliber looking for a team in the future. They convinced him to sign a short, low-cost deal for a one-season career rehab in Buffalo. Flipping him for a draft pick thumbs their nose at the whole agreement they made when they signed him. Why would a player in a similar position to Trubisky trust general manager Brandon Beane in the future?
This isn’t Marshall Newhouse or a depth offensive lineman just barely hanging on in the NFL. This wasn’t a marquee free-agent signing, either, but it was an important negotiation and the Bills can’t screw this up by getting greedy.
Compensation
This is the part that really doesn’t make sense. A year from now, Trubisky is going to sign a nice-sized deal and the Bills will stand ready to receive a 2023 compensatory pick in the third through fifth-round range. What are they going to be offered for Trubisky right now? Is any team desperate enough to throw out a second-round pick or better? It doesn’t seem so.
Experience
Trubisky and Josh Allen are the only quarterbacks on the roster who have attempted an NFL pass. (Cole Beasley doesn’t count.) Davis Webb and Jake Fromm have never thrown a pass in a regular-season game. Buffalo signed Trubisky to upgrade over Matt Barkley and by trading Trubisky will be significantly downgrading. At least you know Barkley can handle an NFL defense and a huddle. In a Super Bowl window, this team can win with adequate QB play with the talent that’s assembled.
There are way too many reasons Trubisky needs to be on the roster this season. He wants to be here. Keep him here.
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