The Chicago Bears control how the 2024 off-season will go for the NFL. Much of this is because they hold the #1 overall pick in the draft and teams aren’t sure what they plan to do. Most believe GM Ryan Poles will stay put, unlike last year, and take his preferred quarterback. Presuming that is the case, the focus then shifts to what will happen with Justin Fields. He’s still under contract for another year at an affordable price. Everybody thinks the Bears will trade him. What nobody can agree on is what they will get in return.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has spoken on this subject at length over the past couple of weeks. From what he’s heard, the Bears are in a terrific spot. How much so? He spoke to Waddle & Silvy on ESPN 1000 about the situation. Their leverage is such that there is no real sense of urgency to get a deal done. Poles knows he can hang onto Fields for as long as he wants because of the cheap contract. It is a matter of waiting until another team makes an offer he will be happy with.
The Justin Fields market is unique for the Bears.
Unlike other instances where an expiring contract may force a team to move quickly, there is no such concern here. Chicago has the option of keeping Fields for the 2024 season if they wish. It’s not like his deal is weighing down their books. They know that $3.2 million number and his tantalizing talent will be something other teams won’t be able to resist. The improvement he showed down the stretch of last season should only sweeten the pot further. All they need is for somebody to get desperate. That is when Poles will strike.
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Gauging all of this, there is a possibility the Bears could wait until the dust settles with the top free agent quarterbacks. Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield need to find their homes for this season. Russell Wilson will also likely get released. Once those guys get settled somewhere, the Bears will have a much clearer idea of what Justin Fields’ market is. It will also increase the sense of urgency for those teams, knowing they likely have no shot at any of the top quarterbacks in the draft.
@TGena, Presuming Fields gets traded, I would trade down to #2 for the draft capital, (#2, 2nd rd in ’24, 1st in ’25, 2nd in ’26), I’m assuming Washington wants CW, especially since the Kingsbury hire, (I don’t personally like him as a #1), I would be perfectly fine with Daniels at #2 pick, even Maye would be acceptable for me too. Daniels had a Heisman Year, while CW regressed. He comes from a competitive conference and checks all the boxes Poles looks for in the QB position. If he can throw 40 TD’s for the Bears like he did… Read more »
@blockwood9 — It will surprise me if Justin Fields doesn’t succeed elsewhere, in the NFL — particularly, in a place where the new GM actually supports him. As to the future of Ryan Poles and the importance of his legacy pick, I couldn’t agree with you more. We’ll interact, again (the NFL combine, free agency and the NFL draft will ensure that). I look forward to that. I’d be most interested in your thoughts of trading out of the #1 position (presuming a trade of JF1 occurs beforehand). How far, how down in the order? How many times? And, who… Read more »
@TGena and @BearDownTX I appreciate the discord and your viewpoints. I accept that a change is necessary for the good of the team and for Justin Fields. After all, Detroit traded away a HOF, who finally got his SB. And Detroit got a QB that got them their first playoff win in 31 years from that trade. Plunkett basically sucked for 10 years before he won 2 Super Bowls, So, I wish the best for Fields, and expect to see him lead his teams to multiple playoffs in his career. I was hoping to see it done in a Bears… Read more »
@BearsDownTX — If we could convince Justin Fields to correct the faults you identified (faults that Mike Vick certainly never mentioned) Justin would be scary. I think Fields lost confidence in the Bears organization, long ago. That Tyson Bagent episode was probably the “final straw.” But, Bagent looked more like an NFL QB, than Justin ever did — because he (Bagent) listened, learned and adapted his game. Ryan Poles said Justin Fields was “blah, blah, bah. .” But never really solved the “sieve” problem that you identified. Fields got the message. Time for a change (I just wish it was… Read more »
@TGena – and heaven forbid you compare Fields to an actual NFL QB like @blockwood9 won’t do because he knows Fields will fail that comparison test. And I get it blockwood9, you love you some Justin Fields. I do to, just not as my QB. I think it’s time for both him and the fans to give Justin a change of scenery. It works for multiple players in multiple sports. The lights turn on, they hear a different voice, they feel more comfortable. Whatever it is, it works quite often. It may or may not work with Fields, I just… Read more »