The Chicago Bears have stuck to their plan at quarterback from the beginning. Head coach Matt Nagy remains adamant that Andy Dalton will be the starter going into the 2021 season. Justin Fields is the primary backup. Despite tons of outside pressure from fans and media alike, Nagy has remained completely undeterred. If anything, one should admire him for sticking to his convictions. Plenty in his position would’ve caved after seeing what Fields flashed in the preseason opener.
Don’t be fooled though. Just because Fields isn’t going to start for the time being doesn’t in any way reflect how the team feels about him. If anything, his impact on the coaching staff and the locker room are already felt in a multitude of ways. Everybody can sense both the talent and the drive to be great. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the young quarterback has made an impression that somehow exceeded expectations thus far.
The team got another glimpse on Thursday.
Fields had one of his worst practices of training camp. A number of interceptions and almost-interceptions. It was the first time he truly looked like a rookie in the face of a swarming and well-coached defense. Rather than get discouraged though, he pulled quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo aside with a request. Stay with him on the field and run through the entire practice layout again.
It is little things like this that provide a glimpse into who Fields is. Sure, he’s an immensely gifted athlete. Big, strong, fast, and possessing a tremendous arm. Yet what helps him stand out above so many others is his drive. His competitiveness is running hot at all times. Not a single moment is wasted in searching for ways to make himself better.
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Justin Fields has everything needed to be great
Talent, intelligence, and most importantly a single-minded determination to succeed. Nobody is ever going to outwork him. That is something that tends to rub off on everybody around him. It’s why he was a success in high school, and again at Ohio State. It is hard to envision that not happening in Chicago too. All he required is time to get it figured out. He’s already well on his way.
For somebody his age, Justin Fields plays with remarkable poise and calm. He never really seems rattled despite all the mayhem around him. Sure he’ll have his down moments, but he almost always bounces back from them quickly. That was evident in the first preseason game against Miami. It will be interesting to see what he does on Saturday against Buffalo.
The Bears are no doubt excited.
For once they aren’t overly concerned with the quarterback position. Fields and Dalton represent one of the most competent and talented rooms they’ve had in a long time. Attention instead is being paid to other positions like wide receiver and offensive line. One can’t blame fans for not knowing how to take that. Hopefully, that feeling won’t go away anytime soon. Expect Fields to appear in the second half this weekend.