Former GM Believes Justin Fields Gets Traded

It is hard to make definitive statements about Justin Fields' status inside Halas Hall, but the rumors paint a clear enough picture. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have tried to stay patient with the young quarterback, but his continued struggles are ramping up the pressure on them. Fears abound that the locker will get frustrated if something isn't done. Either change the scheme to help him or bench him. Do something. Everything points to a quarterback who has lost his confidence.

The upcoming game on Sunday feels like a do-or-die scenario. Chicago will be at home. The Denver Broncos have the worst defense in the NFL. They're 29th against the pass. If Sam Howell can have a big game against them, there is no excuse for Fields. He should play well in this one. If he doesn't, and the Bears lose again, that jeopardizes his job. Poles will then have to decide what to do next. Former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman has a pretty good idea of what will happen. He explained on The 33rd Team.

"If the Bears decide to move on from Fields after the season, they can trade him. The San Francisco 49ers traded Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick. Will Chicago ask for more than that, or just want to move on and take the best deal they can get?

If they are convinced his skill set is not a schematic fit, the Bears will have more than enough draft capital to make a move on a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears have two first-round picks, their own and the Carolina Panthers‘ first-rounder."

The trade deadline is at the end of October.

Poles has enough time to feel the market out, seeing who may or may not be interested. If Lance, who only started a couple of games, could fetch a 4th round pick, there is no reason to think Fields can't get more. Despite his struggles, he's still only 24, was electric at times last season, and has one year left on his rookie contract. Spielman thinks the odds are more likely the Bears cut bait.

"Unless something changes drastically in Fields’ performance or they adjust the offensive scheme, I believe the Bears will move on. This is a deep 2024 quarterback draft class, and I lean toward the Bears drafting another signal-caller."

Justin Fields must seize control of his destiny.

He's tried hard for weeks to become a more consistent pocket passer. He knows that is the critical step to him becoming a better player. It hasn't happened. Now, his livelihood as an NFL starter is in jeopardy. In times like this, the best thing to do is fall back on what's been successful for you. That means using your rare mobility to create plays off-script. It might not be what the coaches want, but what they want isn't working. Survival mode must be activated. This is by far the most critical game Fields has yet played in his career.

If he fails, his run will likely be over. A trade becomes far more likely from that point. There are bound to be some teams interested in him as a reclamation project. Chicago will seek to add some draft compensation and likely move forward the rest of the year with Tyson Bagent as the starter. Then the question will shift to whether Poles and Eberflus are allowed to pick the next quarterback or if the franchise seeks a clean slate.