2 Bears Carry 1st-Round Value, as Justin Fields’ Stock Drops

Getty Quarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears have two players with first-round trade value, though neither is quarterback Justin Fields.

With just 10 remaining until the trade deadline, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell authored a deep dive into all 32 NFL rosters searching for the active players capable of fetching a first-round draft pick. After combing through Chicago’s depth chart, Barnwell mentioned two new additions who make the grade — wide receiver D.J. Moore and rookie right tackle Darnell Wright. The list, however, ended there.

“The Bears might end up cherishing the [Carolina] Panthers‘ 2024 first-round pick as the most valuable part of their offseason trade with Carolina if it lands them top-ranked quarterback Caleb Williams, but the other two key components are looking pretty good, too,” Barnwell wrote. “Moore followed a slow start with 131- and 230-yard games in back-to-back offensive outbursts for the Bears, and he continues to look like a No. 1 receiver without a No. 1 quarterback.”

Bears Likely to Hold Ahead of Trade Deadline Unless Edge-Rusher Made Available

GettyWide receiver D.J. Moore of the Chicago Bears celebrates a first down during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in September 2023.

Chicago has some interesting decisions to make with less than two weeks before the trade deadline passes.

The Bears are in the second season of a rebuild under general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus. Barnwell contended that the only players with high-end trade value are new additions and part of the franchise’s long-term future. As such, Chicago has little incentive to position itself as a seller.

However, buying is illogical, too, as Chicago owns both the No. 1 and 2 picks in next year’s draft as of Saturday. Why try and get better via a trade when being bad now allows for a less expensive opportunity to improve next April? The only viable answer to that question is if a player like defensive end Chase Young of the Washington Commanders hits the trade block and offers the Bears a chance to acquire a young star on the cusp of his prime.

Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus suggested Thursday that the Bears should “hold” ahead of the deadline unless a competing team makes someone like Young available.

“Chicago already did a good job gutting the team and starting completely from scratch, so while wide receiver Darnell Mooney and cornerback Jaylon Johnson are very intriguing potential trade chips, the Bears might as well let things play out with any young talent,” Spielberger wrote. “As much as the 2023 season looks like a wash, if a talented young edge defender is available, Chicago might as well explore an addition with all their extra draft capital and cash on hand.”

Justin Fields May No Longer Be Worth 1st-Round Draft Pick

GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.

The Bears will certainly let things play out with Fields, at least through the end of this season. However, if the team has two of the top few picks in next year’s draft it may not be able to resist adding either Williams of USC or Drake Maye of North Carolina.

In that scenario Chicago would have to seriously consider trading Fields. However, Barnwell argued Thursday that the quarterback is no longer worth a top pick in trade — at least not as of Week 7.

“I don’t have QB Justin Fields returning a first-rounder after a wildly erratic first six weeks of the season. He looked unplayable through the first three games but on point over the next two, and then he struggled before getting injured in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings,” Barnwell wrote. “There would be plenty of teams interested in taking a shot at developing Fields, given his upside, but I would be surprised if Chicago was in the position to draft Williams and landed a first-round pick for Fields in a trade this offseason unless he looks like the guy from the [Denver] Broncos and Commanders games over the rest of the season.”

Fields won’t get a chance to rebuild his trade value — or the Bears’ confidence in him as their franchise QB — this week, as Chicago ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Field’s dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand in last weekend’s contest against the Vikings and could potentially miss multiple weeks due to the injury.