It’s painful to witness the mistreatment of someone like Justin Fields, who exemplified leadership, selflessness, and unparalleled work ethic. Ever since the Chicago Bears drafted Fields, he was unfairly criticized and underappreciated. Fields truly deserved a better offense and coaching staff around him. Unfortunately, the Bears never quite figured out how to unlock his potential. Now that the Bears have the number one overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, how does this, along with other factors, ultimately hint at Fields’ time ending as a Bear?
Justin Fields Time Coming to an End
What went wrong?
First off, Fields had three offensive coordinators in three years. He was also faced with an incredibly tough task to perform at a high level with no supporting cast. How can you possibly be a successful quarterback under these conditions? You can’t. Despite this, Fields showed improvement. He began to trust his receivers and keep his head up when moving outside the pocket to throw downfield.
However, Fields’ confidence has dwindled, but not necessarily in his ability to be confident on the field. It’s from the string of losses and dealing with the harsh media and fans constantly downplaying and blaming Fields. Additionally, former Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy tried to make Fields the next Aaron Rodgers, urging him to stay inside the pocket and become a pocket passer like Rodgers. That’s not how you unlock Fields’ potential! He’s a dual-threat quarterback that scares opposing defenses and even coaches. Here’s what Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell had to say about Fields.
“Listen, he’s dangerous,” Campbell said. “He’s one of these rare, dangerous players, and I’ll tell you what he’s done a really good job of — from last year to this year — is if it’s a pass and he starts to move, he’s still moving with eyes down the field much more than I felt like he had previously and that’s extremely dangerous…but he is dangerous, and everything starts with him, for us defensively, and containing these guys.”
Chicago Bears Assembling High-Profile Offensive Coaching Staff
The latest addition of Passing Game Coordinator Thomas Brown signals the end of Fields’ time as a Bear. Why would one of the top Offensive Coordinators available in Shane Waldron and the NFL’s No. 2 OC in an NFLPA player poll vote (Brown) decide to go to Chicago? It’s because they can develop and coach consensus No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. It’s hard to believe that Brown, the former Panthers OC, would make a downward move to become Chicago’s passing game coordinator for Fields with all his struggles as a Bear.
Suddenly…it's starting to look like a good environment to develop a QB in Chicago…
— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) January 31, 2024
Why General Manager Ryan Poles Would Move On From Justin Fields
Ryan Poles didn’t draft Fields. As much as he might love Fields’ character, the fact that Poles didn’t draft him is a big deal. General Managers typically like to draft their “guy,” even though Fields is a more than capable quarterback to build around. Resetting the quarterback contract and having a “generational” blue-chip prospect like Williams might be too enticing to pass up. Fields understands that the NFL is ultimately a business, and during his press conference after the last game of the season, Fields added, “I gave it my all…whether I’m here or not, I have no regrets.”
"I gave it my all. Whether it's here or not, I have no regrets… The city of Chicago, I love y'all. I appreciate the fans."
Justin Fields after what could have been his last game in a Bears uniform 🙌
(via @ChicagoBears / YT) pic.twitter.com/NnwYVltSDc
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 8, 2024
Report On Chicago’s Decision At QB
According to NFL Insider Albert Breer, he believes the odds of Chicago drafting Williams are “higher than even” at this point. Breer also mentioned the Bears will have to decide quickly if Fields will be in their plans to extract the highest value they can get for him. Breer also highlighted the Scouting Combine as an ideal time when a trade for Fields should materialize. Again, this could be a smokescreen from the Bears end—however, all signals point to Fields leaving Chicago via trade this offseason.
What’s Next For Justin Fields And The Chicago Bears?
In regards to Fields, he will most likely be traded to another team. However, the cost of getting Fields is tricky to determine. NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes the Bears could receive a first round pick for Fields. On the other hand, the majority of analysts believe a second-round pick and a day-three pick will be enough to obtain Fields in a trade. Teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers should show interest in Fields, considering they are outside the striking zone for one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft class.
As for the Bears, they have plenty of assets to correctly develop their quarterback this time; with 46.88 million in cap space and another first-round pick to add to their No. 1 overall pick, the Bears should be able to get some weapons for whoever is the quarterback next season. If this is the strategy that Poles and the organization believe will transform the Bears into a winning franchise, then so be it. Regardless of the outcome, Fields deserved a better situation.
Main Photo: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin-USA TODAY NETWORK
