Tom Pelissero Compares Mitchell Trubisky to Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Philip Rivers

NFL free agency will begin in six days and the one player who stands to gain the most is Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky spent last season quietly backing up Josh Allen and didn't see the field very much at all. Then with a few weeks to go before he hit the open market again, he suddenly became everybody's favorite free agent QB. Reports indicate the former No. 3 overall pick could receive a deal worth over $10 million annually and a shot at a starting job. He's come a long way since Chicago.

On a related note, NFL.com published an article by insider Tom Pelissero today. It discussed seven players who could receive more money than expected in free agency for any number of reasons. In this article, Pelissero said Trubisky compares "favorably" to Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, and Philip Rivers.

Seriously. From NFL.com:

Whatever the perception might be, Trubisky is a one-time Pro Bowl selection who was 29-21 (!) in parts of four seasons as the starter on a Bears team that lost before he took over and lost again after he left. Statistically in Years 2-4, Trubisky compares favorably to the likes of Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers at that point in their careers. He's a good athlete with running ability. He's a leader. With so many lingering QB questions, somebody will bet on Trubisky's upside to at least come in and compete.

I mean... what?!

I tried, reader. I really did. I checked all sorts of angles that could possibly justify comparing a free-agent-to-be on his second team in five years to three Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Maybe Pelissero meant statistically, which isn't a long shot given how much more prolific offenses are across the board than they were when those three were in their early days. Nope. Manning threw for 111 touchdowns in his first four seasons as a starter. Rivers threw for 105 (although he did sit behind Drew Brees for two years). Roethlisberger comes in at 84 TDs thrown in his first four seasons. Trubisky? A whopping 64.

Perhaps he meant in regards to win-loss record. Trubisky took some serious heat in his last year in Chicago but they did make the playoffs and hovered close to .500 for his four seasons there, and the HoF trio he's being compared to didn't really find success immediately in that regard. This is the only area in which Trubisky is in the same area code as any of these guys-- and even then, it's only Manning. Rivers went 46-18 over his first four years under center and Roethlisberger went 39-16. But Manning posted a .500 record in that timespan, going 32-32. Trubisky went 29-21. Point to Mitchell!

But not really. It is laughable to put Trubisky's name in the same sentence as three guys who helped defined this century of quarterback play. Even the most die-hard Trubisky fan would admit that. And it doesn't even make any sense no matter which way you slice it. He's worse statistically, he isn't nearly as talented in any facet of the game (except running, I guess, which is fairly low on the priority list for a QB), and his career path veers wildly from the standard they set. Trubisky is set to be on his third team already. Each of the three players named spent over 10 years with the team that drafted them before moving on to another team or retirement.

Mitchell freaking Trubisky is not Peyton Manning. He is not Philip Rivers. He is not Ben Roethlisberger. Barring a career turnaround the likes of which we've never seen, he will never be those guys. And that is fine! A lot of money and recognition can be found in a solid NFL career. Not everybody becomes a Hall of Fame player. But it's hard to understand why Trubisky, of all quarterbacks, is being compared to not one but three of those players after he didn't even see the field last year.

Strange times we live in.