Prominent Chicago Bears insider Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog made it clear earlier this week that it is more likely than not that Justin Fields is playing his last season for this team. There are multiple reasons that might explain the reasoning. You can start with his ongoing inconsistency as a passer. Outside of his two explosive outings against Denver and Washington, he's been largely ineffective. His dislocated thumb marks the third time in three seasons he has missed games with an injury. He's taken 115 sacks in his career, 27 interceptions, and 32 fumbles.
Also, while wins aren't solely the quarterback's responsibility, it's not a great look that he is 6-25 as a starter. He will miss at least one more game, which means there will be eight left in the season. Is that enough time to alter his fate? Yes, but not a lot. Hughes isn't the only one who thinks the Fields era is done. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune said the same.
"I believe the Bears will use their first pick to select a quarterback. Right now, the top choices would be USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and I recently did a deep dive into each of them, speaking extensively with evaluators across the league."
This isn't a huge surprise. Ryan Poles didn't draft Fields. If the opportunity is there to nab a top name in the draft, he has to take it.
Justin Fields' tenure will be debated for a long time.
Many people will say he got a raw deal. He was drafted by a desperate regime trying to keep a playoff window open with an aging roster. They got fired going into his second season, and the replacements decided to blow it up. He hasn't had much help for most of his time in Chicago. However, one can also argue he's been his own worst enemy. He doesn't protect the ball well, lacks the ability to throw with timing, and is a sack magnet because of his bad tendency to hold it too long. The fact is the Bears have given him three years to at least show something. There have been glimpses, but not nearly enough.
Justin Fields may go elsewhere and reignite his career. It would be poetic from the Bears' perspective. Even so, the writing appears on the wall. Fields doesn't have much time left. Presuming he returns November 9th for Thursday Night Football, his final games will be against these opponents.
- Carolina
- Detroit
- Minnesota
- Detroit
- Cleveland
- Arizona
- Atlanta
- Green Bay
Most of the defenses in that slate are at least decent. Cleveland and Detroit are tough. Unless Fields can summon the form he found against Denver, he'll need a miracle to save himself at this point.
Comments
Join the discussion below. Keep it civil and focused on the content.
Loading comments...