Jimbo Covert didn’t get to play a full career with the Chicago Bears due to a neck injury. Yet what he accomplished during his run was still enough to get him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That is a testament to how great he was. Yet like every Bears offensive lineman going back decades, he had a front-row seat for the team’s endless struggles at the quarterback position. Could Justin Fields change that?
While Covert did experience the best years of Jim McMahon in the early-to-mid ’80s, he also saw things crumble as injuries took their toll. Since retiring he’s had to watch the organization stumble time and again trying to find that franchise guy. After seeing what happened with Mitch Trubisky four years ago, it’s fair to wonder what his thoughts were when GM Ryan Pace got a second crack. This time moving up to grab Fields 11th overall back in April. Based on his comments to The 3-Point Conversion Radio?
It was absolutely the right call.
“Excited that they drafted a quarterback in the 1st round. They drafted someone that knows how to win. That has shown his toughness as well. I’m really looking forward to some good things for him. You know quarterback is hard because you just don’t want to throw frying pan into the fire. You want to make sure he’s getting a little bit of tutelage at first. But there’s going to come a time pretty soon where he’s ready and I think he’s going to do a phenomenal job.”
It seems Covert is squarely in the Matt Nagy camp when it comes to handling Fields. Sit him on the bench for a period of time and let him learn. Then when the coaches are satisfied that he is ready, get the kid out there. It sounds like the Hall of Famer has decent knowledge of who the Bears have. A clear indication he’s kept up with college football in recent years. Not a surprise given his strong ties to Pitt.
He also demonstrates a clear understanding of what will be required to win in Chicago. You need to be tough and you need to know how to win. Previous Bears quarterbacks have a long legacy of being unable to stay healthy. Those that avoided such a fate (for the most part) weren’t able to win enough. Fields has the necessary traits to change that.
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Justin Fields won’t be able to do it alone
It’s surprising nobody asked him about the other notable player the Bears traded up for in that draft. Left tackle Teven Jenkins. The team made a rather bold decision this offseason when it was announced he’d be moving from his traditional right tackle spot at Oklahoma State to left tackle in Chicago. A move made crystal clear when they chose to part ways with longtime starter Charles Leno Jr. shortly after Jenkins arrived.
While Justin Fields is easily the most important pick the Bears made this year, Jenkins isn’t far behind. He is the one who will have to protect the quarterback’s blindside. If both end up panning out? Then Chicago’s future is a bright one. While Fields’ toughness may carry him through many vital moments, it would be even better if Jenkins did what Covert accomplished in the 1980s. Keeping his quarterback protected.
Regardless, the excitement is palpable.
It’s not just the fans feeling it. Everybody is. Even current and former Bears. To see somebody like Covert have such a strong belief in what Fields can do is so encouraging. Hopefully, the quarterback can live up to the hype. Chicago is long overdue for something like this.
