Bears Insider Reveals Likely Compensation In A Justin Fields Trade

Justin Fields is still the Chicago Bears' starting quarterback. That is unlikely to change for the rest of this season. Only Tyson Bagent playing really way against the Chargers on Sunday night could change that conversation. Otherwise, Fields is expected back against New Orleans next week. There, he will have a chance to build on some of his recent strong outings at the start of October. However, the conversation shifts when discussing what happens beyond the 2023 season.

Right now, the Bears are projected to hold the #1 and #3 overall picks in the 2024 NFL draft. That puts them in excellent position to draft one of the top two quarterbacks in the upcoming class, USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye. Were that to happen, most believe GM Ryan Poles would look to reset the position. The question then becomes what to do with Fields. A trade seems like the most likely outcome. As to what the Bears could get? Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune painted a pretty clear picture.

"I don’t envision a situation in which the Bears would consider trading Fields before the deadline at 3 p.m. Tuesday. I definitely could see the Bears shopping Fields after the season and before the draft to a team seeking a quarterback that doesn’t believe it will be in play to draft one. It’s possible the Bears could get a mid-round pick in return, as Fields would be on a one-year deal if the fifth-year option was declined."

Justin Fields won't yield more unless he plays better.

The problem is if he plays better, the Bears will be more inclined to keep him. That is the Catch-22 the organization finds itself in. Either he doesn't play well enough and fetches a mid-round pick, or he looks great and sticks around in 2024. There is no middle ground where he looks the same as he has and somehow fetches a 2nd round pick. This means Poles and the organization must be absolutely sure they're ready to move on before pulling the trigger. There will be a considerable risk involved. Fields may go somewhere else and thrive while their QB of choice in the draft becomes a flop.

It would be classic Bears luck. That said, Justin Fields has shown who he is by this point. He's a phenomenal athlete capable of some amazing bursts of elite quarterback play. However, he can't get over his inconsistency. For every game where he compiles 300 total yards and three touchdowns, there are games where he barely eclipses 100 yards and has three turnovers. It is hard to win games with such inconsistency at the position. There are ten games left to change that narrative.