Getty Former head coach Matt Nagy of the Chicago Bears (left) talks with quarterback Justin Fields (right) during a game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on October 3, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have something special in quarterback Justin Fields.
That was the message that former Bears head coach Matt Nagy offered on Tuesday, February 7. Nagy was the man in charge when Chicago selected the quarterback with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Nagy, who is currently employed as the quarterbacks coach for the Kansas City Chiefs after the Bears fired him at the end of Fields’ rookie season, will coach MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl this coming Sunday. Nagy said that he Fields will “without a doubt” play in a Super Bowl of his own someday, per Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago.
“You all saw it this year, what he can do,” Nagy said. “He’s going to continue to keep growing. However you want to say it, whatever part of his game. To do what he did from his rookie year to this past year, it’s only going to get better from here.”
Fields Made Huge Strides in Year 2, Specifically in Bears’ Run Game
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears scrambles during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on December 18, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Fields took some huge steps in his development as a quarterback during his second NFL season — strides that Nagy said he observed proudly and longingly from afar, wondering “what if?” the entire time.
I absolutely paid attention to him, and I was so proud of the way he grew this year as a quarterback. A lot of credit to the [Bears] coaches, what they did with him and the schemes they put around him, just the way that he took on to that.
You watch him — again, we were a big part of drafting him and getting him to Chicago. We were all-in with Justin and unfortunately didn’t get an opportunity to see where he could get to.
But again, that’s part of this process, part of the NFL. Those guys in Chicago, those coaches, have done a phenomenal job of working with him. He’s one hell of a player. He has a very bright future in Chicago. I’m proud of him. He’s a good kid, he cares immensely about the game, he’s passionate and he’s going to keep growing.
Fields rushed the football 160 times for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns across 15 games last year — just 64 yards short of the all-time rushing record for an NFL quarterback.
Bears Looking to Add Elite Receiver to Help Fields Make Next Leap
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears in action during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field on November 6, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The next step for Fields is to grow as a passer.
He did that somewhat in 2022, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. His completion percentage jumped slightly from 58.9% to 60.4% year-over-year on 48 more attempts. Fields’ quarterback rating also increased by 12 points, from 73.2 to 85.2, while his QBR more than doubled from 26.4 to 54.0, per Pro Football Reference.
Fields threw for 372 more yards and seven more touchdowns in year two as compared to his rookie campaign, while his interception total increased by one in three more games played.
Entering his third professional season, perhaps what Fields needs most of all is a true No. 1 target in the passing game to help him take the next leap. The Bears have been named the favorites to land free agent New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, though the team may attempt to add a bigger name than that via trade ahead of next year.
The Arizona Cardinals are openly shopping three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins, while there is a chance that Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins could be available on the trade market at some point this offseason.