Justin Fields Gets Surprising Love In New Quarterback Rankings

The Chicago Bears didn't listen to the outside noise. Multiple former executives and coaches insisted it would be wise for GM Ryan Poles to consider pivoting away from Justin Fields. He held the #1 overall pick. It was the perfect opportunity. Nobody would've blamed him for doing so. Poles didn't pick Fields. That had been Ryan Pace. However, the young GM maintained objectivity in his assessment. Based on his evaluations, there were no QBs in the 2023 draft he felt could be better than Fields. So rather than abandon ship, he chose to build around the young quarterback.

Nate Davis and Darnell Wright fortified the offensive line. D.J. Moore and Robert Tonyan bolstered the receiving corps. This offense looks far sturdier than it did last season, and Fields also has a full year of experience in Luke Getsy's system. Yet people still have doubts about his capabilities. That didn't stop Anthony Rizzuti of Yahoo from showing the third-year quarterback some love. He put together a full list of rankings for every signal-caller in the league. Fields earned a solid spot.

"15. Justin Fields (Chicago Bears)

14. Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)

13. Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)

In addition to being easy to root for, each of these quarterbacks gave us a reason for hope this past season. But can Fields add some more air to his game?"

Justin Fields did more with less.

Look at those two guys ahead of them. Smith and Tagovailoa get plenty of love. They earned some of that, but it's important to remember they had lots of help. Smith threw to Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Tagovailoa had Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Fields had nothing even close to that. Yet his 25 touchdowns were tied with Tua and only six behind Smith. Those two only get more love because Fields did most of his damage on the ground. Quarterbacks are measured by what they do through the air. That may sound asinine, but it's the truth.

Nobody will give Justin Fields proper respect until he proves he can start beating teams with his arm. There were signs of that capability last year and even as far back as late 2021. Things haven't quite clicked into place. This season might be his time. The system has continuity for once. His weaponry is deeper and more diverse than ever. If his protection can take a step forward, it's hard not to see Fields doing serious damage. That would virtually guarantee a big jump in the rankings by 2024.