The Chicago Bears held the second practice of their 2022 training camp, with this being the first practice open to the public. Second-year quarterback Justin Fields flashes as he was highly accurate, especially on deep throws throughout the on-field activities. The 2022 season will be the polar opposite for Fields from an expectation standpoint compared to the near impossible and unfair expectations placed on him last season.

Too Much Was Expected From Fields During His Rookie Season

The 2021 season was disappointing for the Bears as the team finished with only six wins resulting in the firing of general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy. One of the most significant letdowns during the season was the performance of Fields, as he struggled to be consistently productive and missed time due to injuries. The rookie quarterback missed five of Chicago's final seven games of the season due to multiple injuries after starting eight games straight. From the time the Bears drafted Fields with the 11th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, there were lofty expectations placed on the Ohio State quarterback from both fans and the media. Many NFL analysts believe that Chicago's rookie quarterback could be the best quarterback prospect drafted and could have the best chance to succeed immediately. Bears fans believed Fields deserved to be the team's starting quarterback to begin the season and that he would make Chicago a playoff contender.

Despite Nagy choosing to have veteran Andy Dalton be the Bears' starting quarterback to begin the 2021 season against the Los Angeles Rams, fans still clamored for Fields believing that it was best for the rookie to play immediately rather than sit and learn. Once the Ohio State quarterback became Chicago's starting quarterback in Week 3 against the Browns, it became apparent that he may not have been ready to play. Through Fields' first eight starts, he only threw four touchdowns to eight interceptions and fumbled eight times. To make Fields' rookie season more difficult, his struggles at the quarterback position came in premiere games against playoff-caliber teams with elite quarterbacks. In a three-game stretch, Chicago's rookie quarterback faced off against All-Pro Quarterbacks Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. During those three games, Fields had seven turnovers as Chicago's offense only scored four total touchdowns during those three games.

Fields' struggles also took place in front of a national audience as five of his final six starts of the season took place in primetime or were the top game for CBS. Most rookie quarterbacks struggle to adjust to NFL game speed and reading defenses, but their struggles are amplified when national audiences are watching, and the games take place against already proven quarterbacks. The situation that Fields had to play under last season with the Bears is one of the more difficult situations for any rookie quarterback to perform in. Chicago's rookie quarterback was believed by many to perform immediately for a head coach in Nagy, who struggled with play-calling and had a complex offensive system that several quarterbacks had previously failed to perform in. On top of the issue with the Bears' offensive system, Fields was expected to lead Chicago to the playoffs while being one of the best rookie from the 2021 draft class. The Bears' quarterback had little time to learn how to play quarterback free from outside pressure and not in front of a massive audience.

Fields Could Be Successful Simply Due To No Expectations

Heading into the 2022 season, little is expected from the Bears as the team is entering a rebuild. The most significant aspect to this season is Fields' development at the quarterback position and nothing else. Fans and the media are not expecting the second-year quarterback to carry Chicago to the playoffs but to become an efficient and productive play-maker regardless of wins and losses. Fields will have the freedom to focus solely on improving his individual performance, with the pressure will be significantly less than what he faced last season. Chicago's new head coaching staff is working to help Fields as head coach matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy have an offensive scheme tailored to their quarterback's strengths. Getsy is implementing an offense that enables Chicago's second-year quarterback to make plays in both the offensive passing and running game. Chicago's use of the Shanahan offense will allow Fields the ability to pass or run, depending on what the opposing defense is showing.

Fields will also play fewer primetime games in 2022 as the Bears will only play three primetime games compared to the five games played last season. Chicago will play their three primetime games this season within five weeks, starting in Week 2 against the Packers and ending in Week 7 against the New England Patriots. Following Chicago's Monday Night game against the Patriots, the rest of their games will be played on Sunday afternoon when the number of viewers seeing Fields play will be significantly less. Fields' issues and struggles in 2021 shouldn't signify that the rookie isn't capable of being an elite quarterback but could have meant that the situation may have been too much for him to handle in the moment. Chicago's second-year quarterback could have a massive 2022 season because there are no expectations for him to lead the Bears to success, leading him to focus on his strengths and weaknesses. Players can take significant steps in growth from one year to another with it being because of decreased expectations.