When talking about what it takes to be a good Chicago Bears quarterback, most people fall back on the same argument. If whoever it is plans to thrive in this city at Soldier Field? He’ll need to have a good arm because the wind and the elements can play havoc with the football. That feels like somewhat of an over-exaggeration. Even so, it’s probably not a coincidence that the best QBs in modern team history tended to have strong arms. Does Justin Fields have that qualification?
Quite a bit as it turns out. It’s rather surprising. During the entire build to the NFL draft back in April, the common topic with Fields was his mobility and accuracy. It seemed like a lot of people kind of glossed over how strong his arm actually is. While one can argue he isn’t quite on the Josh Allen or Justin Herbert level, it’s becoming apparent that the 11th overall pick can sling that rock. A serious gun.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic provided some key insight.
“Everyone at Halas Hall — from those who evaluated him before the draft to those currently coaching him or playing with him every day to those wearing No. 1 jerseys and shirts in the temporary stands — would say the same. As it should be, Fields’ natural arm talent is captivating camp…
…A skeptic would point out that similar things were said about former Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky not too long ago. Dalton and Foles also have completed impressive throws in camp this year.
But every deep ball that Fields connects on or even ones in the 20- to 30-yard range are signs of how different their current first-round quarterback is from their previous one. Fields’ success on them should stand out. Even the spiral of the football and Fields’ flick of the wrist look different.”
Anybody who has watched the trickle of highlight videos coming out of practices can see it. His bomb to Rodney Adams at Soldier Field. A slick crossbody missile to Jesse James into tight coverage for a first down. Most recently, the one that took social media by storm was his scramble drill to his left that saw him fire a sidearm dart to Riley Ridley in the back of the endzone for a touchdown.
It’s not just that he makes a play like that. It’s that he seems to do it every single day. These aren’t isolated incidents. Fields is showing everybody that he can make any throw in the playbook and even a few that aren’t. This is why the Bears traded up to get him. They felt he was something special. Yet it sounds like even after drafting him, they weren’t fully prepared for what they were getting.
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Justin Fields encountering the same problem Jay Cutler did
It is one that is quite common for big-armed quarterbacks in the NFL. The unshakeable confidence that he can fit the ball into almost any window. That is why he’ll often fire it down the field into tighter coverages rather than settle for a check down to a running back or receiver underneath. While head coach Matt Nagy loves that aggressive mindset, he’s made it his goal to help the rookie learn that it’s far rarer getting away with those throws at this level.
Jay Cutler had the same problem. He never quite got over it though. Will Justin Fields be different? Time will tell. He certainly has a lot better coaching around him than Cutler did a decade ago. The trick for the Bears will be whether they can surround him with better talent too. While the wide receiver, tight end, and running back rooms look promising, there is a serious level of concern regarding the offensive line.
Injuries have struck hard just one week into camp.
Both starting tackles Teven Jenkins and Germain Ifedi remain out. So is right guard James Daniels. This has made things thin up front. Not ideal with Fields’ first preseason game approaching. One has to believe this will make Nagy even more reluctant to start him at any point early this season. If the Bears want to unleash that arm of his, they’ll need to make sure he stays upright.
