The Chicago Bears (5-10) selected quarterback Justin Fields with the eleventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but, thus far, he has yet to prove why he is the Bears’ franchise quarterback of the future. However, there are a lot of things the Bears need to do to put Fields in a good position to succeed in the pros and, potentially, have him as the face of their franchise for years to come.
Chicago Bears Building Franchise Around Rookie Justin Fields
Coaching
The most crucial thing that the Bears need to do to help Fields is fix their coaching staff. It is no secret that Bears head coach Matt Nagy has done a poor job organizing the offense. Nagy has not catered the offense to Fields’s strengths. This is a huge reason why Fields has not succeeded in 2021.
As a draft prospect out of Ohio State, Fields’s best attributes were his strong arm, accuracy, and his athleticism outside the pocket as a scrambler and on designed runs. Naturally, one would have expected the Bears to modify their offense to allow Fields’s best traits to shine. However, Nagy and the Bears offense have failed to do so. They have not given Fields many opportunities to use his athleticism to roll out of the pocket. In addition, they have not run designed quarterback runs as often as they should. Most importantly, they have not given him the playing time he needs to make mistakes and learn and develop.
The best move for Chicago would be to send Nagy and his coaching staff on the road. They have exhausted all their opportunities. The Bears do not have time to waste with Fields’s rookie contract expiring in 2024. The Bears should find a proven offensive-minded coach who can find ways to use Fields’s strengths to their benefit, and allow him to shine.
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Offensive Line
One of the biggest gaping holes on the Chicago Bears’ roster is their offensive line. It ranks bottom in the league in almost every statistical category. Admittedly, Fields has not helped, as he has often held onto the ball too long or bailed out of clean pockets. However, this does not discount the fact that the Bears’ offensive line has not performed well.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Chicago Bears offensive line’s overall grade is 57.32, which is by no means an ideal number, and among the worst in the NFL. The Bears offensive line definitely needs to be addressed, and there are several ways for them to address this. Whatever route they choose, the Bears front office needs to make sure they give Fields the help he needs.
Weapons
Finally, the Bears need to make sure they give Fields some more weapons. In particular, the Bears are in desperate need of a true X receiver. Someone who can play on the outside for them and win one-on-one. This is something that their offense lacks, and they need one terrible. Allen Robinson played this role last year, but has since fallen off a proverbial cliff, and has struggled to gain separation to play a consistent role in their offense.
Wide Receiver Darnell Mooney has performed exceptionally well for the Bears this season. But he is not the type of receiver who plays outside and wins one-on-one matchups. He is more of a slot receiver who brings a dynamic skill set to the table. The Bears will need to find someone who can play in Allen Robinson’s former role, as he will most likely be testing the free-agent market come the offseason. Whether through the draft or free agency, this is a big hole that the Bears need to fill offensively to help Fields.
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