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INDIANAPOLIS — The Bears maintain they arrived in Indianapolis for the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine still early in the intelligence-gathering stage of their franchise-defining quarterback journey.
Both general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus spoke Tuesday in Indianapolis, painting a picture of a franchise that wants everyone to believe things are up in the air. The Poles said he had “no master plan” and admitted the timeline for making a final decision could be longer than expected depending on how long it takes him to get to know top prospects as people. Eberflus said the Bears are still in the process of evaluating everything as they chart a course forward.
Poles said he plans to be transparent with quarterback Justin Fields and will “do the right thing” with Fields and trade him quickly if the Bears decide the best thing they can do is move on from the 24-year-old quarterback.
Everything the Bears said Tuesday was about putting up the facade that they haven’t decided if Fields is part of their future. But things started to slide when the Poles and Eberflus talked about the traits they look for in a quarterback, giving a big clue as to the direction they’re currently leaning.
“I look at situations. I look at guys who can operate in third-down, two-minute, end-of-game situations,” Eberflus said Tuesday. “To me, that’s a separator. And then you look at the toughness. Toughness for a quarterback really has to do with the mental toughness to be able to stand in the pocket and throw the ball and also have the discernment to be able to get out of the situation. bag.Keep them in your pocket and create them when needed.They come in different shapes and sizes.It’s always been fun to evaluate them.
“I know what a good quarterback looks like and what’s difficult for a defense is a guy who has the ability to create, a guy who has the ability to throw with timing and precision, and the guy who can move the ball down the field when “Those are the critical moments. So third down, two minutes, all those critical moments.”
Fields’ inability to deliver in the fourth quarter has been the quarterback’s scarlet letter for the past two seasons.
Of 40 quarterbacks who threw at least 50 passes in the fourth quarter last season, Fields ranked 39th in passer rating at 53.4. Only Bailey Zappe was worse. He ranked 28th in yards, tied for 26th in touchdown passes and tied for second most interceptions in the fourth quarter. Thirty-one quarterbacks threw at least 20 passes this season while trailing with four minutes or less left in the game. Fields ranked 29th in passer rating and 28th in completion percentage and was tied with Jordan Love and Aidan O’Connell for most interceptions.
Where Fields checks the boxes is as a person and leader.
The Poles have continually stressed the importance of getting to know each top prospect as a person. Poles said Tuesday that “on-task time” with each prospect will be vital as the Bears try to figure out what kind of leader each one is, what motivates him and whether or not he’s the right guy to lead the Bears franchise. in the future.
“Examples of trustworthiness, altruism, leadership and ownership are sought,” Poles said. “It’s hard nowadays to find people who say, ‘Hey, this was wrong.’ ‘Yes, it was wrong and this is what I need to do to make it right.’ Instead of just being stupid to get over it.”
Eberflus echoed that the most important part of the Bears’ process will be taking the time to find out things about Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels that they already know about Fields.
“The wiring of a quarterback, obviously number one is leadership,” Eberflus said. “You have to be a great leader, you have to be resilient. You have to be able to handle criticism and then obviously the physical traits. That’s a big part of it. The precision, the timing, the platform, all the things “That’s what you talk about. And then being a winner. That’s what it comes down to. All these teams that do things at the end of the season, they have winners at the quarterback position.”
Fields checks the leadership box. There is no doubt that his teammates gravitate toward him and will play hard behind him.
But Fields has also spent the last two seasons working to refine his rhythm and timing in the pocket. He improved last season, but also spent the least amount of time in the pocket last season. According to tracking data from Next Gen Stats (H/t Tom Bliss of NFL.com), Fields spent only 80.5 percent of his dropbacks and designed runs in the pocket. For comparison, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were just above 85, while Patrick Mahomes was just under 87. CJ Stroud and Jordan Love were at 90.2 and 91.9, respectively.
Fields showed a better pocket presence in 2023. He did a better job of dealing with a passer’s mentality and keeping his eyes down the field for explosives.
But the Poles know all that. She has spent the last two years with Fields. He knows what is and what is not.
The next step in the process is for the Poles and the bears to learn about the unknown.
The Bears are scheduled to face Williams, Maye and Daniels for the first time this week. These 20-minute meetings serve as a starting point for a deep dive that will determine the Bears’ future at the quarterback position.
Poles said he hopes to complete the process soon, but is aware it could take longer depending on how long it takes him to spend the necessary time with each potential client.
The Bears will spend time with the prospects in Indianapolis, at their pro days, on 30 visits and potentially hold private workouts if the time comes.
The Bears may not have a “master plan,” but it seems like they know which way they’re leaning.
“Before free agency would be good,” the Poles said on Tuesday. “Like I said, if we were to do something with Justin, I want to do it right and I know that, again, living in that gray space, we would want to do something sooner rather than later.”
Last year, Poles said he would have to be “shocked” to leave Fields.
A year later, he’s talking about “doing the right thing” by Fields while his coach lists off boxes that Fields doesn’t necessarily check.
By trying not to say anything Tuesday, the Bears said more than enough.
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