Accountability is a big thing with this new Chicago Bears regime. It doesn’t matter what position you play or whether you’re a starter or backup. One thing remains the same. That is a high standard. Everybody is expected to work hard and play hard. If you aren’t giving your best at all times, you aren’t going to keep your job very long. One thing nobody can question about Justin Fields is his work ethic. The guy pours every ounce of energy and effort into his job. It’s why teammates love him. That said, it doesn’t mean he should be immune from criticism when warranted.
Granted, there haven’t been many occasions to offer it. The quarterback is one of the few bright spots on this team during a rough season. However, he still has one glaring issue that hasn’t made the strides some have hoped for. GM Ryan Poles pointed that out before the game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday during a WBBM-AM 780 interview.
“I think just elevate his game in the passing game, the two-minute drills, end of half,” Poles said. “Obviously to start games, he’s been outstanding. He’s shown ability to make a ton of plays with his legs. No one questions his playmaking ability, but really growing as a passer is going to be the next step. And we can accomplish that now and obviously into the future as we continue to grow.”
As if to drive the point home, Fields had arguably his worst performance of the year, going 7-of-21 for 75 yards, one TD, and one interception. It wasn’t pretty and underscored how far the QB still has to go.
Justin Fields’ grace period will end in 2023.
There is no question he is a dynamic playmaker. The things he can do with his legs are downright unfair at times. It’s been what has made the Bears offense even remotely relevant. However, the best quarterbacks are judged by how they throw the ball. He’s made progress this year, but not enough to make people think he is ready to join the bigger names in the NFL. He still struggles to process at times, doesn’t get the ball out fast enough, and cannot string completions together.
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Not all of this is his fault. The Bears’ offensive line is awful. They’ve allowed 55 sacks on Justin Fields this year. Even if 25% of those were the fault of him holding the ball too long, he’d still be the 5th-most sacked quarterback in the league. Better blocking is desperately needed. Then there are the wide receivers. Darnell Mooney was lost for the year. Chase Claypool has yet to make an impact. Everybody else is a backup on every other team. More firepower is needed.
That said, the excuses won’t last forever. Fields must take ownership of these shortcomings and work to fix them. Poles is willing to give him time, but one must not forget that rookie contract is running out.
