Bears are debating to keep Fields or draft QB
Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus already endured one round of the Justin Fields debate.
He's hoping, for everyone's sake, the second round ends soon.
The man who has stood in Fields' corner the past two seasons as others argued about whether to keep Fields or start over with a new quarterback, was answering those same, old questions about the No. 1 overall pick again at the NFL's scouting combine.
“We have no big news for you today, we're going through the process,” Eberflus said as the league's coaches and general managers took center stage in Indianapolis. “If Justin's coming back, we'll have a plan in place for that. If we have a new quarterback, we'll have a plan in place for that.”
Chicago's decision is sure to make ripples — on its roster and perhaps around a league that places premium value on quarterbacks.
With what some consider a deep quarterback class, including three who could come off the board immediately in April's draft, the teams holding those first three picks could lead to new starters — or plenty of trade possibilities.
And the Bears are right at the top, just as they were last year when they had the No. 1 pick and Fields. Eventually, they dealt the pick to Carolina for receiver D.J. Moore and four picks, including the one that put them back at No. 1 this year.
Sure they could do it all over again.
But after missing the playoffs in each of Fields' first three seasons and no postseason wins since the 2010 season, the organization recognizes there's a clamoring for change.
CHIEFS CREATING SOME SALARY CAP SPACE >>
The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, giving the Super Bowl champions some much-needed salary cap flexibility.
The moved would save the Chiefs $12 million that they could use to shore up their offense or help keep defensive stars Chris Jones and L'Jarius Sneed next season.
The Chiefs gave ValdesScantling a three-year, $30 million deal two years ago in the hopes that Patrick Mahomes could turn the former Packers wide receiver into a viable deep threat. But while Valdes-Scantling had memorable moments in Kansas City, including a TD catch in the Super Bowl, he was plagued by dropped passes and never put up the numbers the Chiefs expected of him.
JETS QB WILSON SEEKING TRADE >> The New York Jets expected QB Zach Wilson to emerge as the new face of their franchise. Three years later, he's looking for a new team.
GM Joe Douglas said the Jets have given Wilson permission to seek a trade, perhaps marking an end to his tumultuous stint in New York.
Wilson's rocky three-year tenure included plenty of struggles.
He went 12-21 as a starting quarterback. He threw more interceptions (25) than touchdowns (23). He was benched multiple times. COLTS QB RICHARDSON RECOVERING NICELY >> Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson believes he's ahead of schedule following last fall's season-ending shoulder surgery after playing just four games in his rookie season.
“Really happy about where he's at. He started throwing, he's on a rehab program,” GM Chris Ballard said. “Anthony made some statements that it's important to be ahead of schedule — we're here to pull the reins to make sure we don't get too far ahead of schedule and we're staying with whatever the doctors are telling us. But he's in good shape.”