Getty Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Did quarterback Justin Fields recently unfollow the Chicago Bears on Instagram? The flood of NFL trade rumors doesn’t seem to care.
On Monday night, several fans pointed out on X (formerly Twitter) that Fields is no longer following the Bears on Instagram. While that might seem trivial, NFL players have made similar changes to their social media accounts in the past to send subtle messages about their futures, whether it be unfollowing a team or changing their bios.
Less than 24 hours later, the trade rumors about Fields have spiked sharply. Fans and media personalities alike are running with his rumored social media activity and openly wondering if Fields is signaling that his time with the Bears is coming to an end. The betting odds have also shifted against Fields remaining in Chicago next year.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Atlanta Falcons are now the odds-on favorites to land Fields next season, jumping from +600 to -120 since the rumors first emerged. The odds that Fields stays with the Bears have also sunk from +200 to +600, making them third most likely to employ him in 2024 behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (+350).
The problem with all of the speculation? Nobody seems certain whether Fields ever followed the Bears on Instagram in the first place.
Fields is notoriously not the biggest fan of social media. He admitted he deleted X from his phone before the 2023 season and has made two posts on his account since August. While he is more active on Instagram, “Chicago Bears” is still featured in his bio.
With that in mind, it seems a little reckless to presume that Fields is using his socials to send a hidden message about his future. Could he be? Sure, but good luck proving it.
Justin Fields’ Future With Bears Remains Uncertain
An overanalysis of Fields’ social media activity might have spawned the latest batch of trade rumors for him this offseason, but there was no shortage of rumors to begin with.
The NFL largely seems ready to accept that Fields will play for another team in 2024. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter — as well as other insiders — have reported that many league evaluators expect the Bears to use the No. 1 overall pick to draft a new quarterback. In that case, they would almost certainly trade Fields first.
The Bears could technically carry Fields and a rookie quarterback into the 2024 season, but it makes far more sense for them — if they want to draft a rookie –to trade Fields and gain a quality return for the upcoming draft. Schefter believes the Bears could “definitely” get a second-round pick for Fields in a trade, and Chicago is currently without a second-rounder after shipping their own to Washington for Montez Sweat.
Again, the Bears are not certain to trade Fields just yet. If they decide he is not their future, though, trading him now while his value is high is the logical choice.
What Type of Trade Return Could Bears Get for Fields?
The Bears could have options if they put Fields on the NFL trade block — and really, they only need one team to be interested. Trying to project what they might be able to get in return, though, depends largely on which teams decide to pursue him.
The Falcons are an easy choice on paper. They have a quarterback need, they are less likely to get a top quarterback prospect at No. 8 overall in the first round and they are Fields’ home state team. If Atlanta’s front office agrees the connection is right, they could potentially make the strongest offer with their No. 43 pick in the second round along with a late-round conditional pick centered around Fields’ 2025 future.
The Commanders also have the potential to make a compelling offer. They are in a great position to take a quarterback prospect at No. 2 overall, but they could realistically flip the pick for a massive haul — as the Bears did in 2023 — and put one of their second-round picks towards getting Fields. They have both their own second-rounder (No. 34) and Chicago’s (No. 40) to consider offering up as compensation.
The other teams with quarterback questions break down like this in terms of their second-round picks: New England (No. 35), Las Vegas (No. 44) and Pittsburgh (No. 51). The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks could also be interested, but neither team has a second-round pick and would potentially need to sweeten the deal with a player.
This, of course, is assuming analysts are correct that Fields is worth at least a second-round pick. The Bears might have to settle for less if interest is not what they expect.