Ryan Clark played in the NFL for several years, winning a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s played with and against some of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. So his eye for the position should be pretty solid. That is why it was interesting to hear his comments on Justin Fields before and after the 2021 draft. While he understood Trevor Lawrence being the #1 overall pick, his personal belief was that, in time, Fields could end up being the best QB to come from that draft.
The past few weeks have begun to confirm some of those beliefs. Fields has a 97.2 passer rating in his past four games, throwing five touchdowns with two interceptions and rushing for two more. He’s become the best player on the Bears’ offense by a wide margin. By contrast, Lawrence has a 70.7 passer rating with two touchdowns and four interceptions despite having what many felt was a better supporting cast. Clark again expressed on ESPN Get Up how baffling it was the Jets and 49ers passed on Fields last year.
Chicago got themselves a steal. People finally see the truth.
Justin Fields is getting reinforcements now too.
Cody Whitehair has returned from IR after a month of dealing with a knee injury. That should bolster the offensive line. More importantly, Chase Claypool arrives from Pittsburgh via trade. He instantly gives the wide receiver room a jolt with his considerable talent. Every quarterback loves a 6’4 target with speed. The next nine games could signal Fields’ true ascent up the NFL ladder if he stays healthy. That feels crazy to say since he plays for an organization that has been haunted by terrible quarterbacks for decades.
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He isn’t there yet. There is no room for complacency. Not that such a thing is in Justin Fields’ DNA, regardless. He is already earning a reputation as one of the hardest workers in the business. The guy eats, sleeps, drinks, and breathes football. That is undoubtedly a big reason why he’s finding success in difficult circumstances. One can only imagine how good he’ll be if the Bears can put good players around him moving forward.
