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When the Bears drafted Justin Fields in the first round three years ago, the city of Chicago collectively celebrated. There was a real consensus: the team finally got it right. After decades of futility at the position, the franchise had found its man.
Chicago, in possession of the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year, appears poised to anoint a new QB1 in April. Caleb Williams is the universal favorite to be the first name mentioned when the 2024 NFL Draft opens in Detroit, but quarterback prospects Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels also have fans. If the Bears really take on a signal-caller, they’ll almost certainly send Fields… still loved by many inside and outside of Halas Hall, to the highest bidder in the coming weeks.
Fields’ professional career up to this point has been marred by inconsistency. Some of the losses (turnovers, missed reads, sacks) have been of his own making, no doubt, and are typical of a young quarterback finding his footing in the league. But many of the valleys during his three years in Chicago can be attributed to extenuating circumstances (coaching, supporting cast, roster changes, injuries), a fact not lost on the Bears faithful.
Even now, with the opportunity to reset the all-important salary cap-saving QB clock, there is real fear in the fan base about moving on from Fields. And it is understandable that this is so. His natural ability to change the game is undeniable. If only his elite playmaking skills could be properly nurtured and developed, the 24-year-old could become a Pro Bowl fixture. Seeing that potential realized in another uniform… Packers Super Bowl-Level pain for Bears fans.
Fields’ rare combination of arm talent and mobility is why he was my preseason pick for 2023 Offensive Player of the Year (a take that certainly looked far wiser during the second half of the season than in the first). Considering his leadership traits, it’s an easy choice for me: I’d rather be ranked #1 than roll the dice on #1 overall.
If Bears general manager Ryan Poles decides he Rather than sticking with Fields in the future (which, again, seems unlikely as things stand), the reward Chicago would bring by trading the No. 1 pick could not only set the franchise up for a deep playoff run as soon like next season, but also lead to the kind of infusion of talent that drives consistent postseason appearances, something this organization hasn’t known since the 1980s. And if for some reason, Fields remained closer to his floor than of his ceiling when his contract expires in two years (assuming the fifth-year option is exercised), what should an absolutely loaded roster (via free agency and the draft?) provide the necessary support for a new quarterback be successful.
It was shortly after the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine when Chicago agreed to trade last year’s first overall pick. Could we see something similar materialize in Indianapolis at this year’s event? If so, what could a trade actually yield for the Bears? With the help of NFL senior media expert Jack Andrade, here are four realistic trade packages that QB-needy teams could theoretically offer Chicago to trade spots at the top of the draft board.