Bears lineman on Mitch Trubisky: 'My little boy is becoming a man'

Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky flew under the radar in his rookie season last year — which is fairly unusual for someone who was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2017 NFL draft.

According to one Bears lineman, though, that’s about to change.

Chicago right guard Kyle Long said on Thursday that Trubisky is going to take a much larger role this season, something the Bears will need to climb out of last place in the NFC North. And with new head coach Matt Nagy — who replaced John Fox after last season — at the reigns, the expectations are high for the 23-year-old quarterback out of North Carolina.

“My little boy is becoming a man,” Long told NBC Sports Chicago. “They’ve taken the training wheels off of Mitch’s little bike, so he’s going to be able to do somethings creatively and get to showcase his skills. We’re excited to see him. He’s a tremendous leader and somebody the guys look up to in the locker room.”

Trubisky completed 59.4 percent of his passes, threw for 2,193 yards — an average of nearly 183 yards per game — while leading the Bears to a 5-11 record last season. He threw seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

And while the Bears will need more than just a better, more productive Trubisky this fall to reach a winning record for the first time since 2012, it’s at least a great place to start.

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