Justin Fields did everything necessary to be a top 5 pick last year. He dominated his conference at Ohio State. He made the College Football Playoffs twice and reached the national championship game by beating his biggest rival (Trevor Lawrence) with six TD passes. He had everything: size, athleticism, speed, a big arm, and a blue-chip work ethic. Yet somehow, he still fell out of the top 10, where the Chicago Bears landed him 11th overall.
Not everybody acted surprised. Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms was an outspoken critic of Fields. Before the 2021 draft, he had the Buckeyes star ranked 4th among quarterbacks behind Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Kellen Mond. That last one has to look rough, considering the Minnesota Vikings cut Mond after one season. Simms even doubled down a month later, calling Fields the 39th best QB in the NFL out of 40 qualified names.
It was clear he wasn’t a fan.
QB39 – Justin Fields
Special running ability. Arm is top notch. Could be a top 20 QB halfway through the season. But his bad mechanics scare me a lot…led to bad incompletions on routine NFL throws.
I am rooting for him, hope he makes me eat my words this season.— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) May 25, 2021
What a difference a year makes. Simms spoke with insider Mike Florio about quarterback situations around the NFL. When the topic of Fields came up, he was asked what his excitement level was out of ten for the Bears quarterback. He admitted it was high. Upwards of 8-8.5. What he’s seen over the past month during the preseason, specifically regarding Fields’ footwork and throwing mechanics, has him convinced big things are ahead.
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Fields finished the preseason 23-of-30 for 243 yards and three touchdowns. He looked better and better with each game he played. His comfort level in the new offense is hard to miss. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has done a great job balancing the run and pass, getting Fields outside the pocket with rollouts and bootlegs. Anything that can be done to make life easier for his quarterback. The early results are promising.
Justin Fields is out to prove something this year.
That is obvious every time he speaks. While he hasn’t made any open boasts, his focus and drive are palpable. He hasn’t forgotten what everybody said about him last year, including Simms. This season will be different. He doesn’t care if the offensive line still isn’t good, and he may not have enough firepower at wide receiver. Fields will make it work because that is what great quarterbacks do. He wants to be great and is out to prove it.
That is why teammates continue to insist to the media that nobody realizes what’s coming. They don’t see what is happening away from the cameras. Every waking moment gets spent working. Extra throwing sessions. Extra film study. More workouts. More everything. Nobody can ever say Justin Fields lacks drive. Whatever he must do to get better, he’s willing to make the sacrifices.
That is why he’s improved faster than anybody expected.
He isn’t there yet. There are still wrinkles to iron out. He tends to abandon the pocket too fast. He still holds the ball too long rather than taking his check-downs. That isn’t unusual. Young quarterbacks need time to correct such issues. Fields is getting better, though. A lot better. If the offensive line can keep him protected, Simms and everybody else will get treated to a show in 2022.
Fields will succeed because of his own natural talents but also largely because of the system, teammate’s and coaching around him. All the folks, not Simms, who have been saying they didn’t do enough around Fields are focusing on players. The system and coaching put in place has been ignored. Not to mention “addition through subtraction”, the removal of Nagy and Pace. The environment is like a 180 from those knuckleheads. Fields is in a great position to flourish.
Unlike the rest of the foolish talking heads, Simms can learn, and admit his mistakes.
The new GM and Coach ROCKS> We haven’t had a combo like this since the early 80’s
They handled the off season extremely well. Looking forward to the 9er game. Bear down.
Justin is poised to have a great year. I was a doubter of new regime but Getsy gets it at least so far.