I'll say this: Processing the Justin Fields departure has been quite a mixed bag of thoughts and emotions. Those of you who know me and follow my Twitter coverage of the Bears (and occasional rants and sarcastic bouts) know that I was one of the few folks who didn't jump up and down with excitement the night the Chicago Bears traded up to select Justin Fields.
While the physical talent was undeniable and intrigued the hopeful fan in me, his process of playing the quarterback position at Ohio State didn't elicit confidence in the analyst in me. I never bought in to the hype before the draft.
Yet when the news came in that Fields was the pick, the excitement from my friends and Bears fandom as a whole was something I hadn't seen since the Jay Cutler trade. It was euphoria -- everywhere. For me, though, the conflicting emotions were difficult to balance. On one hand, I wanted nothing more than to buy into the excitement. This is sports - it's supposed to be fun! But on the other hand, I just didn't feel this was going to end well. How do you celebrate when you think you just have to gut it out for a few years until the next swing at QB?
I remember posting this in the offseason after Fields' tough rookie year that had a few moments of promise sprinkled in:
Knowing what you know about Bears Twitter and their love for Fields (especially back in early 2022), how do you think this went?
Take a look at the replies and the quote tweets. It's a fun (?) rabbit hole.
But I understood the vitriol towards me at the time - here's a guy (ode to Cris Collinsworth) who is arguably the most unique physical talent the NFL has ever seen, with a new regime coming in to take over and unlock him. Fans were excited and defending their QB. Hell, I wanted nothing more than to be wrong!
But as 2022 and 2023 went on, it was clearer and clearer that Fields was basically an incredible hhighlight reel and a massive blooper reel all in one. There was too much variance in his play to be sustainable. And after three years, that simply wasn't acceptable. Chicago had to go another direction.
What made this even more difficult was how genuinely likeable Fields was. The reports of his work in the Chicagoland community, his interactions with fans at training camp and at games, his dedication to honing his craft, and not a single negative thing about him off the field. His teammates loved him. Everyone loved him. He was almost everything you could want at the QB position.
Almost.
But fans - incredible as they are - still had Fields' back. I remember the unbelievable scene on New Year's Eve against Atlanta. Fields had one of the best performances of his career at a snowy Soldier Field. With the possibility of this being his last ever home game in Chicago, the fans united to chant "We want Fields!" loudly -- a clear message to Ryan Poles, Kevin Warren, and Bears ownership. Despite having the #1 overall pick for the second straight year, fans wanted to see it through with Fields.
And even though I was thoroughly done with Fields on the football field, a small part of me wanted to see a redemption story here in Chicago. I remember when I was officially 100% out on Mitch Trubisky - after Week 1 of the 2019 season. I couldn't wait for his tenure to be over. But with Fields... it remained difficult to root for.
Alas, after a total rollercoaster three years in Chicago, the Bears did finally cut bait over this past weekend, sending Fields to Pittsburgh for a conditional 2025 6th-round pick. The fact that teams weren't falling over themselves to trade for him wasn't surprising to me. But the Bears DID find a trade partner and officially paved the way for their next quarterback. A good day for the Chicago Bears - even though it doesn't feel like a celebration just yet.
I'm excited for the next guy to come in here and take over a team that looks primed to compete in the NFC. Caleb Williams is the presumptive #1 pick. Drake Maye (my favorite QB prospect in this draft) remains a possibility if the Bears trade back to #2 to recoup some draft capital. But in either prospect, the Bears will enter 2024 with a higher floor than what Fields offered (and higher ceiling, at this point). The future is now.
But I wholeheartedly wish Fields well in Pittsburgh and wherever he ends up getting another opportunity (if he does). Hopefully he does. As someone who remains unconvinced about his abilities as a QB, I'll always root for him and his success. He is absolutely exciting and is still must-see TV. Especially now that it's for another team.
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