Justin Fields is on a historic pace this season, and it’s not a good one. He only has 471 yards passing total through four games. That puts him on pace for 2,001 for the season. In 17 games. That isn’t good. Worse, he is barely completing half of his passes and has been sacked 16 times. Not all of this is his fault. The Chicago Bears offense continues to have problems with execution and overall talent. Most of their receivers can’t get open. Their offensive line is porous in too many spots. It is a difficult situation for any QB to thrive.
Still, plenty of people aren’t absolving Fields of blame. He’s missed several opportunities over the past months. He is still too quick to abandon the pocket when the protection is good enough, and he opts to run more often than seeking his next read. There are serious concerns about whether he can adjust his eyes to the NFL’s speed. Throw in the inescapable fact that this new regime didn’t draft him, and there are already discussions about whether the Bears might pivot in 2023.
Draft expert Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus already predicts it will happen.
4. CHICAGO BEARS: QB BRYCE YOUNG, ALABAMA
At 6-foot and 194 pounds, Young won’t tick all the boxes physically. When he steps on the field, though, he ticks boxes left and right. He’s already earned a 91.3 overall grade this season without the two top-50 draft picks he lost at receiver from last season.
Justin Fields must control his destiny.
He still has plenty of supporters around the league and in the Bears fanbase. They feel he deserves time to work through these growing pains. He can’t develop if the plug is pulled before the season even concludes. In fairness, there is nothing to suggest head coach Matt Eberflus plans to make a chance. He is committed to letting his young quarterback keep learning. There are 13 games left. A lot can happen in that amount of time.
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Even so, Fields can’t continue to play as he has. He must show more capability in the passing game. If he can’t show any kind of progress in the next three months, it will put GM Ryan Poles in an awkward spot. Either he takes the risk of giving Fields one more year, or he pounces on the opportunity of using his likely high draft position to find a replacement.
Bryce Young has 61 touchdowns and ten interceptions in his last 20 games for Alabama. He’s intelligent, accurate, and instinctive. He deserves all the early draft hype he’s gotten. The Chicago Bears may have difficulty passing on him if Fields can’t change the narrative.
I heard a national draft scout interviewed on Chicago sports radio yesterday. He was asked, Which of the current college QBs are better prospects than JF?” His answer: “None.” Just one guy’s opinion but it did give me some hope for JF.
They aren’t going QB with the 1st pick. It’ll be an OL, DL, or WR. Whichever one of the players they grade out the highest for those positions will be the pick.
Here we go again. The Bears hire all newbies to their key coaching spots, HC, OC, & DC. and suddenly Justin is less comfortable, and less productive than last season.
See a connection here, and he has no chance with the schemes Getsy is doing, and Eberflus is condoning.
When does doing the same damn thing become insanity? How many QBs have we gone through over the past decade? And, here we go wanting to give up on a #1 draft pick who has been dealt with using a Coaching Carousel (another decade long tradition) and we expect instant karma! For god sake! Take a chill pill and let the system at least have 3 years to get to the promised land.
drafting another QB ? really ?and do what put him in the same situation as Fields?the kid can play,give him a chance with an o line and receivers,and if he struggles yea sure make your move,But you get an o line aand watch what happens