NFL Exec Admits Justin Fields Likely Has A Big Year

Everything the Chicago Bears have done this off-season had one primary goal in mind. They wanted to take some of the pressure off the shoulders of Justin Fields. GM Ryan Poles understands the fundamental reality of football. The easier you can make things for your quarterback, the more games you're going to win. That wasn't the case last year. Chicago had problems across the board at wide receiver, the offensive line, and on defense. Poles utilized his vast resources in the spring to solve as many issues as possible.

Early signs from training camp suggest he did his job. D.J. Moore looks like a superstar at receiver. The offensive line, while not elite, appears to have improved. Defensively, the team is younger, faster, and deeper. While expecting championship-caliber play across the board is unreasonable, improvement should be obvious. If that's the case, it stands to reason Fields will also play much better. Matt Lombardo of Fan Buzz spoke to an NFL executive who sounded certain the Bears quarterback would do just that.

According to sources inside Halas Hall, the Bears believe Fields is in for a strong season, especially as he enters his second in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system.

Those expectations are reverberating around the league.

"I expect the game to slow down for Justin this season," an AFC Scouting Director told FanBuzz, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. "They have helped him with some personnel on offense, namely D.J. Moore. He still will have challenges in passing from the pocket, but he should be exciting when he goes off script. He needs to limit the hits he will take, but he can't give up running the football. That's what makes him special."

Justin Fields seems to understand he can take the layups.

That has been the biggest criticism of the young quarterback through his first two years. Fields has an excellent deep ball. As a result, he developed a homerun mindset at Ohio State. He got away with it because he was surrounded by elite talent. Once he got to the NFL, it became clear he couldn't survive that way. That is why he's taken a lot of sacks and been forced to run more than normal. Fields isn't used to accepting checkdowns and opting for quicker passes. Signs in training camp suggest this has changed.

He is dumping the ball off to his running backs and tight ends far more often. His completion percentage in 7-on-7s is way higher compared to last year. That is usually a sign that a quarterback understands how to complete high-percentage throws. This is a great sign for the Bears. If Justin Fields can start stringing completions together, it makes life far more difficult for opponents. It puts the QB in more advantageous down-and-distance situations where his threat as a runner becomes an even bigger factor.