Everybody can see the scenarios plain as day. The Chicago Bears will do one of two things this off-season. They will either stay committed to Justin Fields for another year, or they will select a quarterback #1 overall. That would mean trading Fields to one of the teams likely to be interested. GM Ryan Poles offered no indications one way or another, which is no surprise. He stated he was happy with the progress Fields made this past season, but he is obligated to study the incoming 2024 draft class carefully since he holds that top pick.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but a recent string of comments from notable insiders suggests the Bears are already set on their course. Benjamin Allbright of KOA Radio stated that Chicago would trade Fields and likely select Caleb Williams #1 overall. He even offered an idea of the return they might get.
Those comments were corroborated by draft insider Charlie Campbell of Walter Football and Bears insider David Kaplan of ESPN 1000. Both made it clear Fields will not be the starting quarterback next season.
"The Bears’ quarterback situation will be a hot topic as we wait for general manager Ryan Poles to reveal his cards. I don’t know what he’ll do, but I can tell you what other NFL teams believe he’ll do: trade Justin Fields and draft a quarterback at No. 1. This is as much a financial decision as it is a football decision."
The Bears appear ready to pull the plug on Justin Fields.
A lot of people won't be happy about that. They will think it's a mistake abandoning a guy just when it seems like he's starting to turn a corner, especially when it was apparent his offensive coordinator wasn't any good. Still, the situation isn't in his favor. He only has one year left on his rookie contract. He'd be starting over in a third offensive system in four years. They have their choice of every QB in a class many feel is one of the strongest of the past few seasons. On top of that, Fields still hasn't made the progress expected of young quarterbacks from a passing perspective. His passer rating over the past two years is 85.8, with only 33 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Yes, he is a dangerous runner. A unique athlete. Unfortunately, that isn't enough to win big games. You must be able to make plays consistently from the pocket. Justin Fields hasn't shown he can do that. Too many deficiencies remain. Green Bay has their next guy. Detroit has their guy. If the Bears ever want to get into the conversation, they need their guy. Maybe Fields will be that for somebody else, but it's too late for Chicago. It is time to move on. While risky, the team brass feel this could be their best shot to finally solve the problem that has plagued the organization for decades.
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