Will Justin Fields really be missed by the Bears?
There are several significant quarterback decisions that the Chicago Bears will soon have to make. The top two quarterback prospects in the upcoming class, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, might be selected by the Bears if they select first or second in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, given how Justin Fields has performed in the second half of the season, Chicago general manager Ryan Pace might decide to pass on the quarterback position once more in 2024.
And there’s not really enough discussion on the choice to pass on the 2023 class, is there? Even though DJ Moore is a great player, the Bears should have selected rookie wonder CJ Stroud with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Circumstances and situations obviously influence, but will the Bears be able to pass on Stroud in 2023 and then both Drake Maye and Caleb Williams in 2024?
Has Justin Fields had a good game?
This raises an intriguing time concern as well. Fields is in his third season right now, so the Bears will need to make a decision this offseason about whether to accept Fields’s 2025 fifth-year option or to pass on it and take a small risk. Will they keep investing in Fields and have faith in the current process, or will they start over with a different quarterback and keep their flexibility?
Fields could be retained by the Bears, and we’ll see. Although passing on Drake Maye and Caleb Williams would be risky, Fields has performed well enough lately that I doubt many would view that as a terrible choice.
Fields might be traded by the Bears for his best offer. At this point, Fields has performed well enough that I believe Chicago could acquire a first-round pick in return for Fields. Thus, it’s not just a one-for-one trade between Fields and a rookie; it’s also about passing up the opportunity to maybe add another first-round pick in addition to taking
Williams and Maye for the first two picks.
Fields, though, is gradually putting everything together.
Fields is currently dominating the Atlanta Falcons, displaying the entirety of his skill set with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. This post was written at the time of writing. With his assistance, the Bears have triumphed in three of their previous five games, and they are currently en route to their fourth victory in the last six.
The problem that the Bears are now dealing with is that Fields entered Week 17 having completed less than 56 percent of passes in three consecutive games. In addition, he has made numerous plays and impressive throws. As runners go, we all know how dangerous fields can be.
Can the Bears, however, stake their future on him? Is it better to turn to one of these young individuals in the NFL Draft and try to acquire the most value possible in a trade?
2024 will be the most challenging offseason in Ryan Pace’s general manager career.
