Will Mitch Scratch the Itch? Some Post-Matt Nagy Optimism

Let's name the offensive "weapons" Mitch was expected to perform with. Jordan Howard was the most notable, and to be fair he was in his prime, but how can you define a quarterback based on his running back? Josh Bellamy may have been the best wide receiver for the Bears that year with no notable tight end and an aging offensive line. Not exactly the best conditions for a veteran quarterback, let alone a rookie. 

In 2018, there was drastic improvement on the offense with the acquisition of wideouts Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, and tight-end Trey Burton. Mitch's QB rating improved from 77 to 95, and Chicago's record improved from 5-11 to 12-4, jumping from fourth in the NFC North to first. That's quite an improvement in a year with a sophomore quarterback. The next couple of years he didn't really impress, and his QB rating dropped, but he did get the Nickelodeon MVP award in that abysmal loss to the Saints in their 2020 wild card game. That has to count for something... right?

So what happened? How did a quarterback who averaged a 157 QB rating, and threw only 10 total interceptions to 41 touchdowns in college, never have a rating over 95 in the pros and not a single playoff win? Maybe he was just never meant for the big time, or maybe he just wouldn't pan out as a professional. Or maybe it was Nagy all along and the offense wasn't catered to Mitch and his play style. Look at what Nagy did with Justin Fields, the 11th overall pick last season. It was painfully obvious last year that Nagy did not allow Fields to take control of the offense -- and they were not running a style that fit Fields' play. There were moments last season when Fields was able to show what he was capable of, but it always felt like he wasn't in an offense that was tailored to his skillset.

But I digress, I have spent way too much time focusing on the Bears and not the future of what the Steelers could do with a still young and healthy Trubisky. I know there is still time this offseason for the roster to take shape. The Steelers' brass are looking to draft another QB and I hear talks of another wide receiver that could be traded by the time the season starts. With that being said, I think Matt Canada has a real opportunity to take Mitch and create an offensive powerhouse. With Diontae Johnson having a better season last year, Chase Claypool being a deep threat, and Pat Freiermuth continuing to develop into a stud, there are a lot of options for Mitch here. That's not even mentioning the workhorse that is Najee Harris who can help alleviate short down pressure, coupled with his pass-catching abilities.

It's obviously way too early to tell if Mitch has a future in the Steel City, and with so many more moves to come in the off-season including the draft, there really is no telling what may come in terms of next season for the Steelers as a whole. Only time will tell what we've really got here moving forward, but I am going to remain optimistic that Mitch has yet to shine in the NFL -- and his best years are yet to come.

Even if he doesn't pan out, the guy knows what he likes, and you have to admire the honesty.