Justin Fields had lots of fans in and around Chicago. That much was obvious from how heated arguments got on social media whenever the idea of the Bears moving on from him came up. Contrary to popular myth, this wasn't limited to fans. More than a few current and former players felt the Bears were making a mistake by moving on from Fields. Robert Griffin III ranted about. Chris Simms talked about it. Another prominent supporter was former Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long, who felt Fields was the type of athlete and leader you want in the locker room.
He was vocal about it for weeks after the season ended. So when the move finally came when the Bears traded him to Pittsburgh, Long was sad. The team was giving up too soon. Still, there was little choice but to move on. Long decided it was time to get familiar with Caleb Williams, the quarterback heavily favored to go #1 overall to Chicago in April. He dug into the tape going back multiple years. After lots of study, Long reached a realization. He shared it with Dan Wiederer on the Take The North podcast.
“This guy Caleb Williams jumps off the page to me,” Long said. “Not only from a throwing perspective but a creativity perspective. He makes the game look like art. He has a je ne sais quoi about his game. He’s got it. What more do you want me to tell you?”
What Long can tell you is if he were in Bears GM Ryan Poles’ shoes, he would take Williams without hesitation.
“In my opinion, he gives the Bears the best chance moving forward at the quarterback position,” Long said. “When you watch the Super Bowl, when you watch the playoffs, it’s the quarterbacks who have the je ne sais quoi who tend to win these Super Bowls.”
Justin Fields supporters have to trust the Bears.
It's not easy. This organization's track record at quarterback speaks for itself. Still, all the signs point to them making the smart decision. Almost every evaluator agrees Williams is the best quarterback prospect in this class and one of the best of the past decade. His creativity, intelligence, poise, and competitiveness make up an exciting talent. He excelled for three years at two high-profile programs. If anybody is equipped to handle the pressures of playing in Chicago, it would be him.
While he may not be the athlete Justin Fields was, Williams should be a better quarterback. That is what Long refers to. He can play the position at a high level. For all the highlights Fields put together, he was sorely lacking as a professional passer. It is why the Bears only got a future 6th round pick for him. Nobody can say what the future will be for Williams in Chicago, but what Long says is true. Factoring everything in, the Bears made the right decision might resetting at quarterback.
