Getty Quarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears reacts to a play during a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The idea that the Chicago Bears will look to deal quarterback Justin Fields is picking up more steam as the NFL Draft nears.
If general manager Ryan Poles decides to follow the risky but analytically sound play of moving off Fields and resetting the team’s rookie quarterback contract clock to four years, he will have to be precise. The first step is making sure the Bears don’t miss when drafting a player like Bryce Young out of Alabama with the top overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Next, the team needs to hunt out a trade partner that is also in need of a QB and selecting inside the top 10.
The Las Vegas Raiders could be the ideal candidate to help the Bears transform Fields into the kind of draft capital they might otherwise acquire should they decide to use the No. 1 pick as trade fodder. The Raiders own the No. 7 pick in the first round and the 70th overall pick in the third round of this year’s draft, which combine to serve as a solid jumping off point for negotiations that would land Las Vegas its quarterback of the future while allowing the Bears to maximize their assets ahead of what is expected to be a busy offseason in Chicago.
“The Bears are better off with [Bryce] Young and trading [Justin] Fields,” NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum said on the Friday, February 17 edition ESPN’s Get Up, per B/R Gridiron’s Instagram account.
Multiple NFL GMs ‘Convinced’ Bears Will Trade QB Justin Fields
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears celebrates after rushing for a touchdown during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on December 4, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.
Adding fuel to the fire already burning beneath the Fields trade rumors, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that several NFL general managers believe the Bears are set on trading Fields ahead of the draft.
More than one NFL general manager came away from the Senior Bowl fairly convinced that Justin Fields will be dealt
“More than one NFL general manager came away from the Senior Bowl fairly convinced that Justin Fields will be dealt,” La Canfora tweeted.
Fields led the league’s top rushing attack last season based on yards gained, though the Bears produced the NFL’s worst passing offense in 2022, as Fields started under center in 15 of 17 games. The second-year QB was historically good on the ground — rushing for 1,143 yards, per Pro Football Reference — though his passing metrics were exceedingly poor, with Pro Football Focus grading Fields out with a pass rating of 54.4.
If Young is able to live up to expectations, he could potentially be a better passer in his rookie season than Fields will be in his third year under center. Young will also play on a rookie contract for the next four seasons, while Fields’ rookie deal expires after the 2024 campaign. As such, Young would afford Chicago two extra years of free agent spending around the quarterback position before investing heavily in it long-term.
Bears Can Still Acquire Top O-Line Prospect With No. 7 Overall Pick
GettyLeft tackle Peter Skoronski of the Northwestern Wildcats blocks edge rusher Isaiah Gay of the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field on December 12, 2020 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
If Chicago can swing a deal with the Raiders, the Bears will pick twice within the top seven.
The two defenders the Bears have been linked to most often, defensive tackle Jalen Carter of Georgia and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama, aren’t likely to last through six selections. However, offensive tackle Peter Skoronski of Northwestern might.
Skoronski fills one of the Bears’ top needs along the offensive line and was rated by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. as the seventh-best prospect across all positions ,as well as the top tackle in the 2023 draft class.
A deal that send Fields out of Chicago and lands the Bears both Young and Skoronski in the top seven, as well as another pick early in the third round, looks like a win on paper for the franchise. However, everything would come down to how Young measures up against Fields over the next few years, including Poles’ job as Bears general manager.