The Justin Fields experiment seems to be reaching its conclusion. Hopes were so high in 2021. The organization had never had a physical specimen like the Ohio State product before. He could finally break the cycle of quarterback misery the Chicago Bears franchise has endured for decades. There were promising early signs, but Fields soon appeared to have suffered from some notable issues. Among the most concerning were his slow processing speed and a bad tendency to hold the ball too long in the pocket. Somehow, those issues haven’t improved with time. They’ve gotten worse.
Sunday in Tampa Bay was the latest example. Fields was sacked six times on the afternoon, at least half of them because of his failure to throw the ball. He flat-out missed two touchdown opportunities because he refused to throw it. After a full off-season talking about improvement, the results aren’t there. Back in August, Bears fans half-joked that maybe rookie Tyson Bagent should get considered for playing time after he looked so sharp in the preseason.
Insider Adam Hoge said on Hoge & Jahns that the scenario is not only possible but also growing.
The Chicago Bears are 0-2, and the path doesn’t get easier.
They have the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs up next at Arrowhead Stadium. That is pretty much a guaranteed loss. Then you have Denver, Washington, Minnesota, and Las Vegas. Each of those teams has at least one decisive advantage over the Bears, either at head coach or in the trenches. Hoge is correct. There is a realistic possibility this team can be 0-6 before they start a long road trip right before Halloween. If that happens, the question becomes whether there’s any point in continuing the Fields experiment. He’s already 5-22 as a starter. It will be clear by then that he can’t turn things around for them.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Maybe Bagent is nothing. Most undrafted quarterbacks are. Or maybe he’s something. The Chicago Bears won’t know unless they give him an opportunity. It’s not like they’d have anything to lose. The rookie played like a professional in the preseason, showcasing good footwork and quick decision-making. His accuracy was on point as well. If he shows encouraging signs, the Bears may not have to go hunting for a new quarterback next off-season after all. If he doesn’t, at least they’ll know.
Give Bagent a chance but hope for much better than Brock Purdy. 225 yards and 2 touchdowns isn’t going to win us any more games.
Getsy might not be perfect, but he’s not the one double-clutching and not throwing to wide open receivers. For the past couple of games, receivers have been waving at Fields to get his attention on how wide open they are – and then JF either runs and gets no yardage or gets sacked. When they have to consistently wave at the QB, that’s a QB problem.
If they’re going to do something this colossally dumb, I’d rather it be firing the offensive coordinator and just letting Fields call the plays himself in the huddle. Maybe it’s Getsy who sucks.
How many more chances will Fields get before they give Bagent a shot? How could he be any worse than Fields?
Gotta give him a chance and see what you have before the draft. And best case scenario is a nice sample size… at least half a season. At this point, like it or not, we know who Fields is. And it’s not good.