Justin Fields is getting his education on the NFL level early in Chicago Bears training camp. It hasn’t taken long for the rookie to realize that the speed is way faster and the throwing windows are smaller. This has led to some mistakes through his first two practices. Some iffy ball placement and erratic accuracy. Not to mention a tendency to hold the ball. While some may panic upon hearing this, please understand it’s early in the process.
As talented as Fields is, he’s far from ready. This is going to take time. Growing pains are inevitable. All that being said, it hasn’t stopped the 11th overall pick from having his bright moments. There were a number of throws during Thursday’s practice at Halas Hall that stood out. One of the best came during 7-on-7 drills. Eyeing over the middle, he fired an absolute bullet to new tight end Jesse James. Somebody who’d just signed 24 hours earlier.
Most called it a great catch.
Upon further review? The throw was a lot better than Fields got credit for. Cornerback Michael Joseph (#30) was in good position on the play. If the throw had been out in front of James as is the usual desire, it’s likely the pass gets picked off. Instead, Fields placed the ball more inside and high where only the 6’7 James could get it. Some will say the throw got away from him a bit. Nope. It was exactly where it should’ve gone.
This is a welcome sign for a few reasons.
It again shows that when Fields decides to let it rip, he can deliver the ball with some serious juice. Not only that, but his ball placement can be really good too. Then there is James. While nobody would call the former 5th round pick a go-to option in the passing game, he showed on that rep that he is a better target than he gets credit for. He’s got size, long arms, and reliable hands. He proved in Pittsburgh in 2018 he can be a factor with 438 yards and two touchdowns on just 39 targets. It’s hard to believe the Bears got him this late in free agency.
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Justin Fields is going to get plenty of chances to learn
Inconsistency was inevitable for Fields. This is why head coach Matt Nagy preferred Andy Dalton to be the starter for the time being. All that said, it doesn’t mean the Bears are going to forget their responsibility. He is their future and so they must do everything they can to prepare him. That means squeezing in extra reps in practice, which they’ve been doing. Then it will be about live game action.
This will come when the preseason begins two weeks from now. Reports are Justin Fields will get a ton of playing time. That should prove invaluable to his development. While it won’t be against opposing starters, it’s still actual snaps against other teams in front of NFL fans. He’ll face pro defenses and learn how to operate a professional offense. Given his track record, all of that will make him better and to do quickly.