Getty Quarterback Justin Fields
Chicago Bears cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. is all about the competitive edge his fellow rookie Justin Fields is bringing to the team.
In a recent interview on Kieq on the Mic, Graham discussed everything from getting drafted to how he is adjusting to the pro game so far. The rookie corner also dished a bit about Fields, saying nothing but encouraging things.
“His confidence is his best quality just because he walks around with that swagger, and it’s just like: ‘Yeah, that’s my quarterback,'” Graham said, adding: “He wouldn’t have gotten picked where he’s at in the position he’s at if he didn’t have the skill levels.”
The Bears nabbed Fields and Graham in one of their most lauded drafts in years, and both are expected to be a huge part of the future of the franchise.
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Fields Has Been Talking Smack to Bears Defense
The likes of Roquan Smith, Khalil Mack and Jaylon Johnson aren’t intimidating the 22-year-old quarterback, according to Graham, who says Fields is taking any friendly trash talk in stride, while also giving it right back.
“I really haven’t had a quarterback that talks mess back, so we’ll be talking mess to each other, then he’ll go respond back, and I love that. He embraces the competition,” Graham said about Fields. “It’s very fun to have that.”
Graham also revealed he and Fields have been picking each other’s brains, often discussing positioning and timing on throws, routes and everything in between in an effort to improve their respective games.
“His willingness to learn … doing things not just to make himself better but to make everybody else around him better — that’s what you want in a quarterback,” Graham said.
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Fields is Ready to Be Challenged By This Bears Defense
“We have a lot of great players on the defensive side of the ball,” Fields said on the final day of veteran minicamp. “Of course, Khalil Mack, BoJack (Eddie Jackson) is on the back end. We have a lot of great players so there’s not really one that stuck out to me like crazy of course because now it’s OTAs and we can’t really have pads. It definitely should be fun coming up for training camp.”
Fields also shared his plans leading up to training camp, which begins July 27.
“I’m probably going to come up here a few weeks early and just work out, study film, meet with coach Nagy individually on Zoom, most likely and just talk about the play book,” Fields said. “Right now I have a base idea of what plays we have, so just diving into that more just focusing on the small details. When you have a big base you can really start detailing each and every specific thing on a play and really get to know a play like the back of your hand. So that’s what I’m going to be doing.”
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