Trent Dilfer gets plenty of grief from NFL fans. Yet the reality remains unchanged. He played 14 years in the NFL. He also went to the Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl in 2000 with the Baltimore Ravens. People can call him a terrible quarterback all they want. The reality is he accomplished more in the league than a vast majority ever have. The man deserves some respect. Since retiring, he’s entered the realm of analysis and evaluation. One player he knows well? New Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Dilfer has a connection to him dating all the way back to 2017. The former QB worked with the then-high school senior during the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback camp. That was where he got his first taste of how good Fields was and could be. His opinion of the youngster has only evolved since then. A few months ago, Dilfer was a regular guest on the Move The Sticks podcast. He made it clear that Fields is going to be something special in the NFL.
Not just because of his talent but also his mental and physical toughness.
It terms of the talent? Dilfer sees superstar potential. During another appearance on the podcast, he called Fields the “ultimate” dual-threat quarterback. Not only is he big and fast as a runner, but he’s far more advanced as a passer than he gets credit for. He is somebody that can beat you on the move or from the pocket in equal measure. Players like that are exceedingly rare. That is why he will be a nightmare to handle.
One other thing that separates Fields is his desire. The kid has made it clear with every action that his goal is to be great. If that means living in the weight room and annoying coaches to death with questions? So be it. He’ll do whatever it takes to take his game to the next level. That is undoubtedly a big reason the Bears were drawn to him.
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Justin Fields can’t do it all by himself
One problem the Bears have had over the years isn’t just finding the right quarterback talent. It’s been building a proper roster of players around them. Mitch Trubisky had practically nothing to help him when he first arrived in 2017 and it stayed that way outside of their addition of Allen Robinson up until last year when they finally added Darnell Mooney. Such lessons appear to have learned well.
The team was not idle this offseason in regards to the rest of the offense. Three of the next four picks in the draft after Justin Fields went in the 1st were on the offensive side of the ball including two offensive linemen, a wide receiver, and a running back. They also added more receiving help in free agency with veterans like Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd. So the team isn’t just leaning on the hope that adding a talented QB will solve everything.
A smart decision.
Fields’ opportunity will arrive at some point. Head coach Matt Nagy seems determined to make everybody wait. It will be Andy Dalton as the appetizer for the time being. It doesn’t matter. That job will be belong to Fields sooner or later. From there, if Dilfer is right? It will remain that way for the next 10-15 years.
