Getty Quarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields ended the season with some spectacular results, but analysts continue to report his trade value as outside of the first round.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report authored a trade prediction on Tuesday, January 16, in which the Bears deal Fields to the Atlanta Falcons in return for the team’s 2024 second-round pick (No. 43 overall).
The projection of Chicago’s return is based on assessments from several NFL executives, per a report from ESPN’s Courtney and Jeremy Fowler on January 2. It also assumes that the Bears will draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in April, more or less necessitating a Fields trade.
“Should the Bears elect to take that path, Fields would be best utilized as a trade chip,” Kay wrote. “The Atlanta Falcons should be willing to part with the No. 43 overall selection to land a quarterback after their 2023 campaign was derailed by instability under center.”
Bears’ Opponents Believe Team Will Trade Justin Fields Ahead of NFL Draft
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his newest mock draft on Tuesday, in which he projected the Bears will draft quarterback Caleb Williams of USC. That prediction was based, in part, on rumblings from opposing NFL teams that believe Chicago will ultimately deal Fields in the coming weeks.
“The Bears’ quarterback situation will be a hot topic as we wait for general manager Ryan Poles to reveal his cards. I don’t know what he’ll do, but I can tell you what other NFL teams believe he’ll do: trade Justin Fields and draft a quarterback at No. 1. This is as much a financial decision as it is a football decision,” Brugler wrote. “Williams isn’t a perfect prospect, by any means, but he is the favorite for No. 1 because of his playmaking instincts. He needs to be more consistent, but his poise and creativity are what make him special.”
Chicago could also go with Drake Maye of North Carolina, who Brugler predicted will come off the board second overall and land with the Washington Commanders.
Justin Fields Represents Significant Upside to Team like Falcons in Need of QB
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields
Just as Williams isn’t perfect, neither is Fields. However, he has shown himself an elite rusher of the football from the quarterback position and has made progress as a passer over three NFL seasons — even if not enough progress for the Bears to pass on a potential generational talent with the top overall pick.
“This season further proved that Fields still has plenty of development left as a passer. He only completed 61 percent of his throws for a middling 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns across 13 starts,” Kay wrote on Tuesday.
Kay went on to note that Fields also tossed nine interceptions and lost four of the 10 fumbles he put on the ground. Fields also took 44 sacks, though inconsistent offensive line play contributed significantly to that number.
Despite a couple of red flags, Fields will play the next two seasons on a cost-controlled contract if the team holding his rights exercises the fifth-year option of the QB’s contract this offseason.
The Falcons are in the market for a new head coach who will almost certainly make acquiring a new signal-caller the top priority of the next few months. Atlanta doesn’t pick until No. 8 in the upcoming draft, which makes the franchise even more likely to deal for a player like Fields, especially if three or four of the top QB prospects come off the board before the Falcons go on the clock.