Chicago Bears fans probably haven’t been this excited for a rookie minicamp in a long time. Maybe ever. Such is what happens when you draft a young quarterback in the 1st round. One that a lot of people feel was truly one of the best in the entire class. Justin Fields spent two years showing everybody he was a big time player at Ohio State. Somebody who lives for the pressure moments. Combine that with his extensive physical ability? It’s hard not to get excited.
At last, the day came when everybody got to see him in a Bears helmet for the first time. It looked quite nice. During his first press conference in front of the media, Fields came across as calm and understanding of what’s expected of him. He wasn’t intimidated. Not by the Bears offense nor the bright lights of the NFL. He’s here to work and win football games. Matt Nagy and his coaching staff have a plan for him. He will follow it, but one thing is also clear.
Fields is going to do everything in his power to win that starting job.
The first day of minicamps never tells the full story of any player. However, they do offer glimpses of where he might be in his development. If that is true, then Fields left little doubt about his status. All signs pointed to a smooth and nearly flawless afternoon. One that saw him handle everything with steady precision. His passes were accurate and he took every snap from center as if he’d done it a thousand times.
If that weren’t enough, he wasted no time taking command of the offense. Nagy explained to reporters after practice of a particular moment. One where Fields misconnected on a pass with a young receiver who’d run the wrong route. The quarterback went right up to him and explained where he messed up and what he wanted them to do the next time. Remember this is Fields’ first practice. For him to already be making such corrections?
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A surefire sign that he is already engrained in the offense and also a leader on the field.
Hard to call Justin Fields’ first practice anything other than a success. He was accurate (I only saw one pass I would call poor) and showed absolutely zero issues taking snaps from center. Like a Pro Day, it looked like it should — very good. #Bears
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) May 14, 2021
Second: He seems serious. Didn't seem intimidated by anything today. https://t.co/2FJldxz0VV
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) May 14, 2021
All jokes aside, Fields looked good today. Calm and organized. He and Dazz Newsome had a really nice connection.
— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) May 14, 2021
4. With all due respect to Mitch Trubisky, Justin Fields is a different animal. This kid doesn't look like he needs training wheels. The snaps he took under center looked totally natural. Trubisky, who had just 13 starts under his belt, had a much longer learning curve.
4/100
— Mark Potash (@MarkPotash) May 14, 2021
Justin Fields exudes something that is rare for a rookie
Cool efficiency. Remember he’s 22-years old. Still a kid in the eyes of most. For him to already be operating like this. One could be fooled into thinking he’s a five-year veteran. There are no illusions. He knows he’s a rookie and there will be mistakes to come. His job is to work through them. If this sort of performance level carries into training camp, then Andy Dalton is in for a bigger battle than anybody might’ve expected.
It wasn’t just Justin Fields who stood out though. Dazz Newsome, the Bears’ 6th round receiver out of North Carolina seemed to already have a strong connection with the quarterback. His quickness and strong hands on full display. Newsome revealed that Fields actually contacted him shortly after he was drafted, welcoming him to the team and preparing for work.
That immediate contact is already yielding fruit.
Fields should continue to perform better as he stacks practices together. It will be interesting to see if other rookies start to stand out as well or if his bond with Newsome grows even further. This is merely an appetizer though. Soon the veterans will join the fun for mandatory minicamps and then OTAs. Training camp begins in July. That is when the pads go on and things really get fun.
