The Chicago Bears have parted ways with Justin Fields.
As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears are trading quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick that could become a fourth-rounder based on playtime.
As the eleventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields had much of our fanbase hoping our quarterback concerns were finally over. However, just three years later, the franchise is heading in a different direction.
I’ll remember the Fields era in Chicago for what could have been.
He was drafted into a lame-duck situation with head coach Matt Nagy, and the plan they put in place was doomed from the start. Nagy was fired, and Fields was set to learn a third offense in as many years.
His second season in Chicago featured a stripped-down roster in year one of a rebuild from new general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus. The Bears were the worst team in the league that season, but Fields’ peers voted him into the Top 100 Players list at number 86 after an outstanding highlight reel of individual plays.
The 2023 season seemed to be a year-long disconnect between Fields and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Fields was unable to execute in the manner that Getsy wanted, and Getsy failed to build around Fields’ skill set.
While the circumstances in Chicago did Fields no favors, it’s fair to put some of the blame on him. The advanced passing analytics point to flaws in his game, which are evidenced when watching the All-22.
He has grown during his three years in Chicago and can still ascend as a player in Pittsburgh.
Had the Bears not lucked into the first overall draft pick this year, then it’s certainly possible they would have rolled with Fields for at least one more seaosn, but the opportunity to reset at quarterback with the top rookie on Poles’ board is the logical decision.
Fields enters a situation with Russell Wilson as the presumed starter, but there’s a long time between now and week one. This a good opportunity for Justin, and general manager Ryan Poles did do right by him.
I’m a fan of Fields, and I’ll be cheering for him to succeed in every game he plays unless he’s playing the Bears.
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