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Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is on the hunt for a little more transparency from his organization.
Specifically, Fields expressed a desire to be allowed in the loop on the team’s plans for the No. 1 overall pick in this April’s NFL Draft. The QB spoke about his wishes during an interview with The Rich Eisen Show on Thursday, February 9.
“Everybody would love honesty in the process. I would definitely like to know that,” Fields said of whatever is cooking behind closed doors inside the Bears’ facility.
“It’s a business, so I totally understand. No hard feelings,” Fields added. “But like I said, I control what I can control. Control my work ethic. Control how I carry myself each and every day.”
Some Scenarios See Bears Trade Fields, Select QB at No. 1
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GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears looks on during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field on December 24, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Part of Fields’ curiosity is due to the fact that Chicago’s decision at No. 1 will likely impact him significantly. It could even potentially lead to Fields playing for a new team in 2023.
The Bears can tread several different paths at the top of the draft, including trading the semi-established Fields for a humongous draft haul and/or proven players, then selecting a quarterback first overall. While that option is probably a few slots down the list of the most likely outcomes, it has been pitched publicly by former NFL general manager and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum.
“I would trade Justin Fields,” Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s morning show Get Up on January 10. “If you can get at least a first- and a third-round pick, which I believe you can because so many teams need a quarterback, I’m gonna draft Bryce Young who I think is going to be a better quarterback than Justin Fields.”
“And when I do that, and get at least a first- and a third-round pick, I’m resetting Bryce Young’s rookie contract and I’m gonna be able to get at least four starting caliber players,” he continued.
Tannenbaum’s proposal has gotten a little traction in the month since he made it, though logic dictates the Bears will hold onto Fields because, as the old cliché goes, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
Chicago already knows it has a budding superstar in its versatile dual-threat QB. Fields would have set the all-time record for rushing yards at the position with ease in just his second year had he not sat two regular season games. Fields’ passing numbers also improved significantly year-over-year, both in terms of traditional counting statistics and advanced analytics.
Young may prove to be a great NFL quarterback, but dismissing Fields after just two seasons in Chicago and selecting Young would be fireable offense on the part of general manager Ryan Poles should it fail to pan out.
Poles Recently Offered Hint on Bears’ Plans For Top NFL Draft Pick
GettyGeneral manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears looks on prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on December 18, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The most probable outcome is that the Bears trade down, once for sure and possibly twice, to maximize value both in the first round and across the 2023 draft.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on February 3 that competing franchises around the NFL largely expect that to be Chicago’s plan.
“Teams are keeping close tabs on the Bears, who own the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, and the prevailing theme is Poles is very high on value,” Fowler wrote. “Despite in-season trades of linebacker Roquan Smith and edge rusher Robert Quinn, Chicago has just eight picks in the draft and only one in the top 50. Poles will most likely aim to change that.”
Chicago can trade back and still procure a high-level prospect to improve the pass rush, the interior of the defensive line or fill holes on the offensive line — all three of which are areas that must be addressed this offseason. The extra draft capital the Bears acquire in the move(s) may also help the team land a true No. 1 wide receiver, a benefit Fields has yet to be afforded during his NFL career.