Getty Bears quarterback Justin Fields exited with a hand injury in the third quarter of Week 6's game against the Vikings.
The Chicago Bears are still working to determine the extent of the hand injury that quarterback Justin Fields sustained in Week 6’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but head coach Matt Eberflus did have a bit of good news in the postgame.
Eberflus told reporters in Sunday’s postgame that X-rays on Fields’ right hand were negative, but that his quarterback would still need to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury and whether it will keep him off the field.
Fields took a sack in the third quarter of the 19-13 loss and landed on his right hand, holding it on his way to the sideline after the play. The Bears initially listed him as questionable to return, but they eventually ruled him out in the fourth quarter.
“With him, he wanted to come back in the game, but … he just couldn’t grip the ball to throw it right now,” Eberflus said in the postgame. “We’ll see where it is. Like I said, the MRI [is tomorrow]. That’s all I have. We’ll have more information tomorrow.”
If Fields is forced to miss time, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagnet would be in line to make his first career NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. He played in relief of Fields on Sunday and finished 10-of-14 passing for 83 yards with a 1-yard touchdown run, but he also threw an ugly interception that nixed the Bears’ comeback efforts.
Justin Fields Struggled Again Before Hand Injury
Fields did not speak to reporters after Sunday’s loss, which is normal for a player who sustained an injury and did not return to the game. Speaking to his mindset, though, Eberflus said he felt like Fields was in a good spot mentally following his hand injury.
“His demeanor’s great. He’s great,” Eberflus said Sunday. “He goes, ‘Coach, we’ll see where it is tomorrow.’ And he was positive, and he was upbeat.”
Fields had another struggle-filled day against the Vikings prior to his injury. A week after throwing for a career-high 335 yards, he completed just six of his 10 passes for 58 yards and threw a costly interception that allowed the Vikings to score before halftime. While Fields did add another 46 yards with his legs, his overall performance did not continue along the trajectory he had been setting in the previous two weeks.
Now, on top of that, Fields could have to wait before making his next start.
Long-Term Justin Fields Injury Could Derail Bears
The Bears are already in a bad way after losing five of their first six games of the 2023 season. Losing their starting quarterback, though, would land them at rock bottom.
One of the main objectives for the Bears in 2023 is to figure out whether Fields can be a viable franchise quarterback. They found mixed results through the first five games, but there was evidence to suggest that Fields was on the right track after he threw for 588 yards and eight touchdowns in the two games leading up to Week 6 against Minnesota.
Now, the Bears must hope Fields has avoided a long-term injury or reckon with the possibility of another season going up in flames.
While Fields’ future in Chicago is far from ensured, chances are slim that the Bears win more games with a rookie who, a year ago, was playing Division II college football than him. The Bears veterans might rally around the 23-year-old Bagent, but those hoping for a situation similar to San Francisco with Brock Purdy will likely be disappointed. Chicago simply doesn’t have the same strength of roster or offensive play-calling.
Even if the Bears are leaning toward moving on from Fields in 2024, they will want him on the field — and on tape — as much as possible in order to drive up the trade market for him during next year’s offseason. If he winds up missing multiple games, it only hurts them in the long run, regardless of which direction they go at quarterback.