Getty Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears appear to have a full-blown Justin Fields crisis on their hands just two days into free agency.
Massive reorganization at the quarterback position has already taken place across a major swath of the NFL, which encompasses essentially every team that has had even tenuous links to a potential trade for the Bears starting quarterback.
However, a couple of options remain if Chicago is willing to take a step back on the trade return it wants for the former No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Ari Meirov of 33rd Team laid out the scenario on Tuesday, March 12.
Sooooo… what’s going to happen with Justin Fields?
It’s hard to find a logical landing spot that would also offer something satisfying enough for Chicago to agree to a trade….
Discussing on @The33rdTeamFB:
“Many people thought [the Bears] could probably get a second-round pick for [Fields]. But here we are, after a day of free agency and so many moves, [and] it is starting to become really hard to figure out where is a Justin Fields’ destination,” Meirov said. “The [Denver] Broncos — it does not sound like they have much interest. Maybe if the price goes down. We’ll see about that. Then the one team that people have thought maybe could make sense is the Seattle Seahawks, but up until now it doesn’t feel like they’ve had serious interest.”
Bears Need to ‘Get Creative’ in Order to Bring Back Adequate Trade Return for Justin Fields
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Compounding the Bears’ problems rustling up a market for Fields is the overall talent of the 2024 rookie QB class, which Meirov said could see up to six members come off the board before the end of round one. The most likely of the group to do so is USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who most analysts believe the Bears will draft with the first overall pick.
Denver picks at No. 12 and Seattle picks at No. 16, per Tankathon, which could make it difficult for either franchise to move up into a position to get one of the top five signal-callers. Three quarterbacks could easily go in the top three picks, with the Washington Commanders selecting at No. 2 and the New England Patriots picking third.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders appear to be out of the mix for Fields, as they signed Sam Darnold and Gardner Minshew, respectively, on Monday. However, those signings won’t take either team out of running for a rookie QB.
In fact, the players both teams landed on in free agency and the contracts they gave to them indicate that the Vikings (pick No. 11) and the Raiders (No. 13) are both likely to draft quarterbacks in the first round.
Considering those circumstances, the Bears may well be able to bring the Seahawks into the conversation for Fields, though likely not at second-round value in terms of a trade return.
“Could Chicago maybe get a little bit creative?” Meirov said. “They wanted a second-round pick. Maybe they’ll have to settle for a fourth-round pick, but put some conditions on [that] pick — like it becomes a third if he plays a specific amount of snaps, [or] it becomes a second if [the team] makes the playoffs.”
Bears Could End Up With Justin Fields on Roster Well Into Summer
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
Another scenario, perhaps even more likely than the Bears getting creative to pull in a suitor with a mid-grade offer now, is that Fields remains on the roster into the summer.
Meirov cited examples of how the Cleveland Browns held onto Baker Mayfield for several months after trading for Deshaun Watson in March 2022, or how the San Francisco 49ers ended up holding onto Jimmy Garoppolo as a backup option behind Trey Lance that same offseason.
“The point is, if teams don’t get the value they want, they are sometimes okay leaving [the player in question] on the roster, and it makes it a little bit awkward,” Meirov said. “Could that possibly happen here with Justin Fields?”
Part of the problem in dealing Fields is where he is at in his contract. The QB will play the fourth and final year of his $18.9 rookie deal in 2024. However, whoever holds the rights to Fields’ contract in early May must decide whether to exercise a fifth-year team option worth $25.7 million for the 2025 campaign.
That choice represents a significant risk that teams will try to avoid if possible. However, depending on the way the draft plays out and/or what injuries occur during training camp, a serious suitor for Fields could emerge somewhere between May and July.
One thing is certain — the Bears won’t rush to make a deal in the coming days if they can’t find the value they want, which means the Fields saga in Chicago could persist through the dog days of summer — or even beyond.