A few months ago, at the end of August, Ryan Poles sat before the media before the regular season was set to begin. The Chicago Bears GM took questions about every aspect of the team. Inevitably, the conversation came around to quarterback Justin Fields. Poles had taken a calculated risk by retaining the former 1st round pick rather than drafting somebody new like Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud. He felt the progress Fields showed towards the end of last season was enough to justify it. However, that didn’t mean the quarterback was out of the woods yet.
Poles was asked what he wanted to see from Fields in 2023 that would convince him the Bears can start thinking long-term regarding the QB’s future. The answer was straightforward and clear.
“Just to continue to improve. Want those sack numbers to come down, interceptions to come down. Make good reads, protect himself, just see him take that next step.”
Not too much to ask from a quarterback going into his third year.
Ten games into the regular season, it doesn’t appear Fields has met any of those conditions. His interception percentage this year is 3.7%. That is up from 3.5% last season. Perhaps most damning is the sacks. That problem hasn’t gone away. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk rammed that home with this stat via Albert Breer.
“To this point of the year, Fields ranks 32nd among qualifying quarterbacks in sack percentage (sacked on 12.9% of his drop-backs), while undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent, starting in his stead, is first (3.4%) playing behind the same offensive line.”
There is no getting around that. An undrafted rookie from Division II processes the field faster than the former 1st rounder. For all of Fields’ gifts, he still can’t protect himself. Last Thursday night marked the fourth game he missed with a dislocated thumb, and the 11th game overall he’s missed due to health issues since his rookie year.
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Justin Fields is running out of time to change the narrative.
Seven games remain in the season. It still isn’t clear if he will return to Detroit on Sunday against the Lions. The Bears remain evasive as ever about his health status. Smart money is he will play. That means he gets the Lions twice, Cleveland, Minnesota, Atlanta, Arizona, and Green Bay to close the year. Those are some well-coached defenses he will have to navigate. Given his track record, the odds aren’t in his favor. Then again, Fields might summon some extra juice, knowing his job is on the line.
Rumors persist that Poles is already eyeing a change at quarterback in the 2024 draft if the Bears get one of the first two picks. Carolina is on track to provide that. The Bears GM has given Justin Fields every opportunity to show legitimate improvement. Blaming the offensive line, the receivers, and the coaching can only last so long. Sooner or later, the blame falls on the quarterback. The only direction left for Fields is forward. He must seize control of his career right now, or his time in Chicago will be considered another failure.
