Justin Fields falling to the 11th pick was difficult for a lot of college football enthusiasts to understand. What exactly was missing from his game? He has size, arm strength, accuracy, a squeaky clean reputation off the field, and is lauded for his intelligence. That is everything NFL teams could hope for in a quarterback. Yet he was the fourth one taken. If there was one common complaint that surfaced about him, it was his iffy ability to process defenses. Something Kurt Warner doesn’t quite understand.
The Hall of Fame quarterback knows a thing or two about people doubting him. He had to overcome such things many times in his climb for a gold jacket. So he decided to dig into the tape on Fields. Is what people say true? Does he routinely struggle to process defenses? While there are moments he has that seem to validate such thoughts, Warner also found several that completely dispelled them.
His breakdown of one such example here illustrates that.
Pro quarterbacks can’t do it much better than that. The running back on that play was Fields’ fourth read. He managed to reach that decision in a span of four seconds from the start of the snap. All while sidestepping some initial pressure and sliding up in the pocket. The throw is on target, giving the back plenty of momentum to carry it for a big 30-yard gain. Teaching tape.
That isn’t the only example from that one game either. Fields did it a number of times. On one play he managed to read which receiver to go to on a post route based on the body position of a safety. Seeing stuff like that at such high speeds is uncanny. Not to mention the ridiculous throw he makes for the touchdown.
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Kurt Warner understands this is who Fields is, not what he could be
If the rookie Bears quarterback is capable of processing defenses like that after just two years starting in college? There is no telling how much better he could get with more time and experience. Especially when he gets to practice against a seasoned, talented defense like the one this team has. They’ll be able to test him in every way imaginable. If his progression continues as hoped, he’ll be ready for anything the NFL has to offer.
Kurt Warner also benefitted from something the Bears are trying to give Fields. Time to learn on the sideline. Obviously, it wasn’t intentional for him. Warner was an undrafted free agent who spent a year on the Rams bench in 1998 before getting elevated to the starting job in 1999. Even before that he’d spent time in the Arena League and NFL Europe. So he was ready when his shot came. Chicago is hoping Andy Dalton can provide Fields a little extra time to acclimate.
Every week this season he doesn’t have to start is a bonus.
That way when his time finally comes, his understanding of the playbook and the NFL’s speed will be far better. Getting to watch a pro like Dalton should only help. Not that Fields has plans to make it that simple of course. Like Warner did in his career, he isn’t content with being a backup. If there is any chance he can grab that starting job immediately? That is what he will do.
