IT’S TIME TO BEAR DOWN Clock ticking on Chicago’s Fields decision ahead of free agency
During this week’s NFL Combine, Justin Fields and his future with the Bears has been one of the hot-button topics with free agency approaching.
Chicago has the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. The consensus is the Bears will trade Fields and select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
“If we go down that road, I wanna do right by Justin as well,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on Tuesday. “No one wants to live in gray. I know that’s uncomfortable.
“I wouldn’t wanna be in that situation either. So we’ll gather the information. We’ll move as quickly as possible. We’re not gonna be in a rush. And [we’ll] see what presents itself and what’s best for the organization.”
Poles and the Bears have less than two weeks to determine if they will keep or move on from Fields. Yes, Chicago must do their due diligence before making a critical organizational decision. But the clock is ticking.
The NFL free agency period begins March 13, and teams can start communicating with players’ agents on March 11. How that affects Fields is that several quarterback-needy teams are looking to upgrade their situation. The longer the Bears wait to deal Fields, the chances of them getting maximum value for Fields decreases.
Sources at the combine believe the Bears will receive a second-round, a fourth-round or fifth-round pick in exchange for Fields.
Poles didn’t tip his hand on what the Bears are expected to do with Fields. But it is hard to imagine Chicago keeping Fields with all the factors it has to consider.
After the Bears selected him 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields has thrown for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions in 40 games. He also has rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns during that span. Chicago also has a 10-28 record during the 38 games Fields has started in the last three seasons.
Fields’ play on the field has improved during the last two seasons. With his running ability and his improvements as a passer, Fields made the Bears competitive late last season, with the team winning three of their final five games.
However, Fields was drafted by former general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, who were both fired after the 2021 season. Poles was hired in 2022, and coach Matt Eberflus was brought on board two days later. This regime did not select Fields, and they would probably like to choose their own quarterback.
Then there are the financial ramifications that come with Fields. He is only due to count $6 million against the 2024 salary cap, which is 28th among all quarterbacks.
But if he remains with the Bears, they would have to decide to exercise or decline Fields fifth-year option by May 2. Fields would make $25 million guaranteed in 2025 by exercising his fifth-year option.
If the Bears trade Fields and draft Williams, Poles and Eberflus would have a rookie quarterback on a cheap contract for the next four seasons.
“Contrary to reports out there, I have no master plan to present to everyone today,” Poles said. “This is an opportunity for us to continue to gather information, learn about the different players in the draft, listen to what opportunities could come up, and then at the end of the day, we’re going to make the best decision that we can for the Chicago Bears.”
Where Fields could land remains a mystery. For the record, he said last week on the St. Brown Bros Podcast that he would like to stay with the Bears. But Fields is also looking to quickly resolve the matter one way or another.
Of course, I want to stay,” Fields said. “I can’t see myself playing in another place, but I know how the league is.
“If it was up to me, I would stay in Chicago. I love the city. The city’s lit. The fans there, they’re great. But it’s a business. I ain’t got no control over it, so whatever happens happens.”
According to sources at the combine, the Falcons have inquired with the Bears about Fields. Also, the Steelers and the Raiders could potentially be interested in trading for the soon-to-be 25-year-old.
Atlanta hasn’t hidden that it is looking to upgrade the quarterback position this offseason. Making a trade for Fields makes a ton of sense for a Falcons team with a ton of young, talented skill-position players like running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts on their roster.
Fields is also from Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb, and was named Mr. Georgia Football in 2018. He also briefly attended the University of Georgia before transferring to Ohio State.
The Steelers and Raiders would also be fit. Pittsburgh does have Kenny Pickett, who it drafted in the first round in 2022. But Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t hidden that they will bring in a quarterback this offseason who will compete with Pickett for the starting job.
“There’s always competition in this thing,” Tomlin said in January. “We don’t anoint anyone. I’m appreciative of his efforts and where he is, and I am excited about continuing to work with him, but certainly, he will be challenged from a competitive perspective moving forward. Competition brings the best out in all of us.”
The Raiders have made it clear that they will make a change at quarterback. They’re expected to release Jimmy Garoppolo before the start of the new league year. The quarterback is set to miss the first two games of next season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Aidan O’Connell replaced Garoppolo last season under center, but he was inconsistent during his rookie campaign.
Las Vegas could draft a quarterback, but picking 13th overall eliminates them from being able to select one of the three top quarterbacks in this year’s class (Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels).
Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, Luke Getsy, has a history with Fields. Getsy was Fields’ offensive coordinator in Chicago from 2022-23.
Whatever the Bears decide to do, it must happen within the next week. Otherwise, the team could scramble to find the best trade for Fields and the organization.
“I have faith in our ability to communicate with our guys,” Poles said. “When we do that, I think they’ll know that it’s in the best interest of the team. I think as we’ve moved along here, I think the trust factor is there that they are in good hands with however we decide to move forward.”