Mike Glennon remains the Bears' No. 1 quarterback and will play the entire first half in Sunday's preseason game in Tennessee. But rookie Mitchell Trubisky also took some first-team reps in practice Wednesday and will open the second half with the starting unit.
"There's been no change in our quarterback depth chart as far as No. 1, 2 and 3," said coach John Fox. "This was something we had talked about and planned a long time ago. This is really our last opportunity to get a look at him with the ones."
Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky throws a pass in the preseason opener against the Denver Broncos.
Trubisky is still the Bears' No. 3 quarterback behind Glennon and Mark Sanchez. But the second pick in the draft will open the second half against the Titans because NFL teams traditionally play their starters into the third quarter in the third preseason game, and competing with and against first-stringers will provide what Fox described as a "true evaluation" of Trubisky.
"We can't dictate exactly what Tennessee does with their defense, but in that second half, to start the third quarter, many people leave their ones in, so we're kind of hoping that that's what happens," Fox said. "Mike will start the game, play the first half. Mitch will come in, and then we'll figure that out after that. But it's something we had planned for some time, with this being the last opportunity."
In the Bears' first two preseason games, Glennon has completed 15 of 26 passes for 109 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a 48.4 passer rating. Trubisky has connected on 24 of 33 passes for 226 yards with two TDs, no interceptions and a 111.4 rating.
Asked by a reporter if he was open to starting Trubisky in the regular season opener Sept. 10 against the Falcons, Fox said: "I don't like doing hypotheticals. Right now Mike Glennon's the starter. He's going to start preseason [game] three, which is a pretty good indicator where you start the season."
Trubisky performed exceptionally well in the preseason opener, completing his first 10 pass attempts and leading the Bears to two touchdowns and a field goal on his first three possessions in a loss to the Broncos. The 6-3, 222-pounder was more solid than spectacular last Saturday night, completing 6 of 8 passes for 60 yards with one TD in a win over the Cardinals.
"I think his performance has been good," Fox said. "To get a true evaluation and for us to look at him, we need to do this and I think most people in the league would agree and do this."
Trubisky said he was informed he would take first-team reps in Tennessee by offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains Tuesday night.
"I was excited, but it shouldn't make a difference how I approach things," Trubisky said. "You always prepare like you're the starter and always support your teammates and whatever group you're in you just continue to make them better and get yourself better.
"It's all about reps like I've been saying. The more I can get the better I should have a feel for things. Whatever group I'm with, just go out there lead and show them what I can do."
Trubisky doesn't expect to have to make many adjustments working with the starting unit.
"Obviously you're going with different people," he said. "But I expect us to just continue to develop good chemistry, overcome mistakes and progress. It's all about getting better in preseason and continuing to create good chemistry with the guys you're with.
"I've been able to create that with the twos and threes and now that I'll be getting some reps with the ones, it's just got to roll over. So I think that will just make us even closer as a team and just got to keep getting better each day from preseason and learn from your mistakes."
Trubisky insisted that he hasn't been driven to win the starting job but instead to just continue to learn the offense and keep improving.
"It's more of how I can make myself better each day, how I could be the best version of me and how I can make the people around me better," Trubisky said. "That's one of the things I can control and I'm just focused on what I can control: my effort, my attitude. Come out here and practice hard, get better every day and in due time, you've got to earn a spot. Every spot is earned. That's what we're trying to do, just create competition on both sides of the ball to make this team better."
Glennon, meanwhile, took the news that Trubisky would also get some first-team reps against the Titans in stride.
"I just have to control what I can control, and that's going out there and playing good football for the Bears," Glennon said. "That's really all that came to my mind is just focus on what I can control and go out and prepare this week to go out and execute."
