The first step to solving any problem is admitting you have one. And that’s exactly what Bears general manager Ryan Pace has done this offseason — on several occasions.

Pace admitted his mistakes when he released outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and tight end Trey Burton. And Pace admitted the mistake he made drafting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick, when he brought in Nick Foles to compete for the starting quarterback job.

While Pace and Matt Nagy have promised a fair, open competition at quarterback this season, there are many that believe that Foles has this thing in the bag.

One of those guys is former Bears right guard Kyle Long. Even though Long is a close friend and supporter of Trubisky, he can’t deny the presumption that Chicago brought Foles in to be the starting quarterback.

“Long answer short, the writing is on the wall for my friend No. 10,” Long told Da Windy City Podcast. “We are potentially going to see him in another jersey in years to come here sooner rather than later. I think Nick Foles was brought in to be the starting quarterback. There is no real secret there.”

Trubisky’s struggles are well-documented. While he was given a pass in his first two seasons, as a rookie under John Fox and in his second year in the first year of Matt Nagy’s offense, his third season was supposed to be the year when Trubisky finally put it all together.

Only, it wasn’t. Instead Trubisky had arguably his worst season as a pro in one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Although to be fair, Trubisky was far from the only problem on offense. But he was a problem.

When you’re drafted No. 2 overall, you’re supposed to elevate those around you — even when things are rough. And Trubisky wasn’t capable of that.

Now, with a championship-caliber Bears defense wasting away, Pace isn’t taking any chances. He can’t wait and hope that this is the year Trubisky finally puts it all together. So Pace brought in reinforcements with Foles.

While Foles hasn’t won the starting job yet, Trubisky is going to need to turn things around — quickly — if he’s going to get another shot at proving he can be Chicago’s starting quarterback.

Trubisky feels like a long-shot at this point. But there’s a still a chance.