Chicago Bears fans have grown exhausted from the lack of viable news this offseason. GM Ryan Poles has refused to make any big moves, opting to begin a systematic deconstruction of the roster by unloading expensive contracts and only signing cheaper free agents. This has amped up frustration among fans who feel he hasn’t done enough to improve the situation around quarterback Justin Fields. When Lucas Patrick and Byron Pringle, former backups on other teams, are his two most significant additions on offense? That is not something to get excited about.
One person feels the young quarterback should seize control of the situation. Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated wrote his belief that the NFL needs some kind of transfer portal similar to college. Something that can serve to help players extract themselves from clearly bad situations. Absent that, he thinks Fields must consider requesting a trade out of Chicago. Both because of the backward trend of the roster and the fact the new regime didn’t draft him.
Too many things are in play that threatens to derail his growth.
“Fields, or any player in a less-than-ideal situation, should be given the chance to work with the NFLPA to request a different assignment. This would force teams to maintain more of a consistent competitive spirit, or, at the very least, be more open with their fan base about the path forward and offer promising players some sort of back-end protection…
…In actuality, trading Fields would be a way to throw the Bears’ rebuild into hyperdrive. Any of the teams currently talking themselves into members of this year’s weak rookie class would probably be happy to throw current and future picks at a player who still has value in his potential. Poles & Co. could collect picks, as is fashionable for new brain trusts, given that they appear unlikely to rush to contention on a timeline that takes advantage of Fields’s rookie contract, anyway.”
Orr is trying to sell the idea as a win-win for both sides. Justin Fields gets to join a team that supposedly wants him and believes in him. The Bears would likely get a strong return of draft picks thanks to his obvious talent and rookie contract. The reality is the idea itself doesn’t make sense. Both Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have said that this team belongs to Fields from the beginning. He is the unquestioned starter. They love his talent and especially his competitive leadership.
Not making big moves in free agency has nothing to do with their lack of belief in him. It has everything to do with a lack of resources. Poles didn’t have nearly enough cap space to take a big swing and only had six picks in the draft. This was after trading Khalil Mack to the Chargers. The GM has stated outright he wishes he could be more aggressive, but he just doesn’t have the ammunition.
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He will not sacrifice the team’s future to chase one or two solid veterans.
He believes it’s possible to build a better offense through calculated spending and a strong draft. Not to mention better coaching. Plus, it’s not like the Bears have many places to send Fields anyway. Look around the league, and most teams have a relatively settled QB situation. Maybe Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Washington, and Carolina are the only ones. The Bears owe it to themselves to see the developmental process through.
