Mel Kiper, Todd McShay: Bears development of Trubisky will be key

It remains to be seen if the Bears are more relevant after drafting North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. But already they’re more interesting.

Case in point: A question about the Bears’ draft during a teleconference with ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay elicited a nearly five-minute response, including a spirited give-and-take between Kiper and McShay regarding Trubisky, the price the Bears paid to get him, his potential and his path toward the starting job.

One point by Kiper and McShay is particularly well taken. How the Bears develop Trubisky while he is not the No.1 quarterback could be critical. Trubisky started only 13 games in college and did not run an NFL offense at North Car0lina. He figures to need a lot of work before he is ready to play in a real game for the Bears.

Here’s the conversation between Kiper and McShay:

MEL KIPER:“I think the Trubisky pick, the Trubisky move, having [Mike] Glennon — I understand it. I think Trubisky needs time. I wish he would have stayed for another year. He didn’t.”

TODD McSHAY:“This gives him time.”

KIPER:“Yeah. But how much time, in the NFL these days? People are going to say if Glennon’s struggling this year in Chicago, get Trubisky ready.”

McSHAY:“And even if it’s just eight games or 10 games, at least it’s something and you’re in the process — you’re watching, you’re learning.”

KIPER:“But he hasn’t played. He only started 13 games.”

McSHAY:“I understand that. Listen, I think they gave up an awful lot to go get him. But five years from now, if they develop him properly into a starting quarterback and he’s the guy for a decade, no one’s ever going to care about what they gave up for him. No one ever talks about what Howie Roseman gave up to get Carson Wentz. They gave up a lot, but it looks like Wentz is going to be a good starter for them for a long time, so no one cares.

“I think that’s the only position you trade up for and if you’ve got to give a little bit more than value, I’m fine with it. Trubisky’s tape looks like he can be a good starter in the league. Now they have to develop him and see what the time line is once they get him in the building and how quickly he digests the offense. How quickly he learns the verbiage. How quickly he learns to get in and out of the huddle and make the pre-snap checks and kills that he needs to make. You just won’t know until you start the process.

“But I think … as much as it surprised me that they did it, and as much as they gave up, if he winds up being a good starter for them, then they made the right decision.”

KIPER: “I think the key is going to be … all year I liked Trubisky. I had a high grade. I just think you have to handle him a certain way and how he’s developed will be key. I look at the wide receiver position in Chicago and how that’s going to evolve with what they added in free agency, with [Markus] Wheaton and [Kendall] Wright, didn’t draft any in terms of outside of Shaheen the tight end, no wide receivers. [Tarik] Cohen can’t help you there. I just think with Trubisky, it’s going to be interesting with Glennon — Glennon’s there for one year. How does Glennon play? When is Trubisky going to be ready to go? That’s what you’re going to judge this draft by?

McSHAY:“How does Glennon handle it, too, as a guy who’s been looking for his shot to start and was brought in to be the starting quarterback and now the clock is ticking on him. that will be an interesting dynamic to follow.”