Justin Fields knows he is going to play eventually for the Chicago Bears. What he and fans aren’t sure about yet is when that will be. Head coach Matt Nagy has made it clear Andy Dalton will be the starter for the time being. The plan is a simple one. Let the proven veteran keep the seat warm while the talented rookie has a chance to sit and learn. Then when the time is right, get him on the field.
Not everybody though is buying the idea that Chicago will keep Fields on the bench. Many are convinced he’ll be in the starting lineup by the end of the first month of the regular season. Others don’t even think it’ll be that long. Fields could very well flip the script in training camp and outright steal the starting job from the outset. That seems to be what ESPN expects anyway. Mike Clay did projections who he expects to have the best statistical seasons in every major offensive and defensive categories.
His expectations for Fields as a passer are reasonable enough.
1. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: 4,269 yards, 23 pass TDs
2. Zach Wilson, New York Jets: 3,993 yards, 20 pass TDs
3. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears: 3,187 yards, 18 pass TDs
4. Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers: 2,464 yards, 16 pass TDs
5. Mac Jones, New England Patriots: 1,410 yards, 7 pass TDs
Going for over 3,000 yards passing with 18 TDs seems to suggest Clay thinks Fields will start sooner than later this season. Not a terrible season if this proves true. However, it gets even better. The projections then moved on to the leading rusher projections. Things started out as expected with Najee Harris and other top running backs claiming spots. Then you reach #5 and things get way more interesting.
1. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers: 987
2. Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos: 789
3. Michael Carter, New York Jets: 623
4. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars: 616
5. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears: 463
So not only a top 3 passer in 2021 but also a top 5 rusher as well? That would be quite an opening statement by Fields. It’s easy to forget how crazy of an athlete the new Bears quarterback is. He ran a 4.44 in the 40 at his pro day and belief is he’s capable of timing in the 4.3 range. That is crazy fast for a 6’3 quarterback. So him rushing for that many yards isn’t so crazy. He had 383 yards in just eight games for Ohio State last season.
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Justin Fields certainly has the motivation to post such numbers
If anybody has a chip on his shoulder going into 2021, it’s him. Here is a young man who was a star at one of the top football programs in the country. He posted outstanding numbers, took his team to the CFB playoffs twice, and endured a lot of pain along the way. For over a year he’s projected to be the second QB drafted behind Trevor Lawrence. Then at the moment of truth, he not only is the fourth QB selected but falls out of the top 10 entirely.
That is the sort of thing that puts a huge chip on a guy’s shoulder. Justin Fields likely thinks he has something to prove. Something to show the 10 teams who passed on him they made a terrible, terrible mistake. The Bears certainly aren’t going to do anything to temper such feelings. If anything, they’ll do everything in their power to fan those flames. An angry Fields is almost certain to be a successful Fields.
When his time does come? He’ll be ready.
Organized Team Activities are set to begin on June 1st for the Bears. Then mandatory minicamps a couple of weeks later. Training camp arrived on July 31st. Their first preseason game takes place at Soldier Field on August 14th. So there is plenty of time for Fields to make the necessary statements that he should be the guy. It should be a fun summer.