Timing is everything. A year ago, if the NFL had cancelled the preseason, it would have played right into Bears coach Matt Nagy’s hands. He had no interest in risking injury to his starters prior to the season. Many starters did not play at all. Others got only token snaps.
But after the offense struggled from the start last season, Nagy changed his mind. And with an open competition at quarterback between incumbent Mitch Trubisky and newcomer Nick Foles, Nagy was more resolute than ever that the Bears needed preseason snaps to get this offense on track and more importantly, decide the winner of the quarterback derby.