Draft season is never boring. That is because it is the peak time for NFL rumors to fly. The Chicago Bears, for the first time in years, are at the center of those rumors. Most of that is thanks to them holding the #1 overall pick in the draft and more salary cap space than any team in the league. GM Ryan Poles can do almost anything over the next three months. People are tirelessly speculating what that might be. However, there is one other wild card feeding the flames. That is Justin Fields.
Almost immediately after the season ended, several analysts suggested the Bears should consider trading the 24-year-old quarterback. While he was an outstanding runner last season, his lack of progress as a passer is concerning. Having the #1 overall pick gives Poles a golden opportunity to start over at quarterback while Fields’ trade value is still high. Plenty of people don’t think that happens. Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post is hearing differently.
Obviously, many Bears fans are rolling their eyes.
La Canfora has a long track record of misfires when providing inside information on the Bears. He was way off in 2016 when he stated Bill Polian would join the organization in a front office role. Then he said Philip Rivers was a target for them in 2020 after he left the Chargers. He also insisted they planned to replace Matt Nagy as head coach with Pat Fitzgerald. So this Fields revelation is hard to take seriously. Still, a more credible insider, Benjamin Allbright, stated Poles is at least listening to offers. Besides, it’s not like the rumor hurts the Bears—quite the contrary.
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The Bears have no reason to clarify their Justin Fields stance.
At least not publicly. The less other teams know about their real intentions, the better. It means they will have to feel uneasy about the possibility that Chicago is taking a quarterback they covet at #1. That will encourage them to up any trade offers to something Poles couldn’t turn down. This is how the game is played. It’s the NFL version of cloak and dagger. The fog of war. Nothing is more valuable than information. Chicago likely knows what their plans already are. The fewer people who know them, the less chance there is of a leak.
Maybe the unlikely happens and Justin Fields is traded. Poles could fall in love with Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or Will Levis. Logic suggests otherwise. This team is going through a rebuild. Fields showed plenty last season to justify another year, hopefully with more help around him. It would allow Poles to focus on upgrading the rest of the roster. If the quarterback takes another step forward in 2023, the Bears have their guy. If not, they should be in a much better position to add a young gun next year.
