Everybody has heard the buzz by now. Multiple former NFL people have come out saying the Chicago Bears should give serious consideration to making a change at quarterback. Justin Fields didn’t show enough as a passer in 2022. The team has the #1 overall pick. They can take any QB in this draft they want. Trade Fields to another team and start fresh. GM Ryan Poles made it clear he has no plans to do this. Fields is the anticipated starter for 2023. The only way that changes is if somebody in this class blows him away.
ESPN draft insider Mel Kiper Jr. doesn’t anticipate that happening. While this quarterback class is far from the worse the NFL has seen, he wouldn’t exactly call it a loaded group. Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Will Levis are his top three options. Each has exciting qualities that can make for a franchise guy. However, they also come with considerable question marks. None of them are worth giving up on Fields for. In his mind, the Bears already have their quarterback and should focus their roster efforts elsewhere. He explained the First Draft podcast.
“Justin Fields to me…you don’t trade Fields and say I’m going to draft (Bryce) Young. People are saying, ‘Trade Fields, draft Young.’ I’m not buying into that. Justin Fields, to me, is going to be a great quarterback in this league. He’s already shown signs of that kind of potential he has. Surround him by better players (and) Justin Fields can take off for you and be a heck of a quarterback.”
This Justin Fields outlook is more prudent.
Kiper stated unequivocally that Fields would be the #1 quarterback in this class if he were coming out of college. He’s been in the NFL for two years, played in two completely different offenses, had poor pass protection for most of that time, and still found a way to improve. Yes, his passing numbers weren’t anything special. Still, they were better. That, along with his electric breakout as a runner, makes him plenty viable as a starter for the time being. If the Bears keep building around him and let him learn the system, it is logical to think he will continue improving.
Starting over with a rookie isn’t going to fix the problems plaguing the rest of the roster. They would enter their first year in a new offense with a supporting cast they won’t be much better than last year because the Bears will have wasted another high pick on the position. The more sensible plan is to ride with Justin Fields, maybe trade down, stockpile picks, and flood the roster with younger talent. Then if things don’t progress after this season you can start thinking about a change in 2024.
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