While Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky has gotten his fair share of criticism in his young career, there’s no denying that he’s one of the NFL’s most dangerous quarterbacks when he’s using his legs.

Trubisky’s mobility is something that opposing defenses have to respect because he’s proven he can break off some big runs that swing field position and keep drives moving.

But even before his left shoulder injury, Trubisky hasn’t run the ball that often this season. In three games (and one offensive series), Trubisky has five carries for 21 yards. Last year, he was averaging 30.1 yards per game.

Naturally, the question would be: Are the Bears limiting Trubisky this season? Do they want Trubisky to stay in the pocket as opposed to tucking it and running when there are opportunities?

Bears coach Matt Nagy disputed that, noting that while there aren’t a ton of designed quarterback runs that Trubisky has the freedom to take off if he chooses.

“His legs are a huge weapon for us,” Nagy said Wednesday. “So I’m an idiot if I take his legs away.”

Given Trubisky’s recovery from a dislocated left shoulder, if he’s able to go Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, you have to wonder if the Bears — or Trubisky himself — would open him up to the possibility of taking unnecessary hits.

Nagy mentioned that if Trubisky can play Sunday, that he can take hits. But if Trubisky wasn’t running before his injury, who’s to say he’ll do so when he returns with a left shoulder to protect.

“We don’t teach him to look to run,” Nagy said. “We don’t say, ‘Hey go run on this play,’ or, ‘If No. 1 or No. 2 is not there, go run.’ Let it happen naturally. For whatever reason, [he isn’t running] as much right now, but maybe down the road here depending on what defenses do or don’t do, we could see it more.”

Regardless if Trubisky utilizes his legs, Saints coach Sean Payton said his team is preparing for the threat of a mobile Trubisky.

“You see someone that’s a confident decision maker and someone that I think is really athletic with his feet,” Payton said, via the Sun-Times. “He can move. He can beat you with extended plays, but he can also keep the ball and gain 12 yards.”

While the Bears offense wasn’t a top-10 unit last season, they did a solid job of utilizing the different strengths of the offense. One of those strengths was Trubisky’s legs, which forced defenses to account for a mobile quarterback.

Hopefully the Bears can get back to utilizing Trubisky’s strength — a big one being his mobility.