The Chicago Bears have created a civil war among fans on social media. It’s rather remarkable to behold. On one side, you have those who believe Justin Fields is a quality quarterback. There is no sense moving on from him. What he needs is more help and better coaching, not a guide to the exit door. Others believe Fields’ limitations as a pocket passer have become apparent. His value as a quarterback will decrease much faster as he loses his otherworldly athleticism. The situation has become toxic. People are forced to pick sides, even if they don’t want to.
Apparently, GM Ryan Poles has encountered a similarly tense atmosphere inside Halas Hall. Multiple players have already spoken out in defense of Fields over the past couple of weeks. D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney, and Jaylon Johnson were among the most vocal. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, they are far from the only ones in the Bears locker room. Many others love Fields, thanks to his dedication and leadership. They feel he has the playmaking skills to get them to the next level.
What he needs is support, not an escort out of town.
“Barring a surprise, the Bears will secure the No. 1 overall draft pick via Carolina, giving them the entire field of draft-eligible quarterbacks. Many people around the league believe Chicago should just take USC’s Caleb Williams and start over. But Fields has made this decision difficult with his toughness, work ethic and playmaking. He has shown some growth over the past five weeks, and he’s very well-liked in the locker room.
Could Fields use the final two games to show he’s not a limited passer from the pocket? There’s already a pretty big sample on that, but closing arguments are important, and Fields can make a compelling one over the final two weeks against the Falcons and Packers.”
Moving on from Justin Fields won’t be popular.
That much is evident at this point. Plenty of fans want him to stay. It seems most of the locker room feels the same way. Ultimately, the decision falls to Poles. He must ask himself the difficult question. Can he see Fields leading this team to a championship? It can’t be a popularity contest. His job is to put somebody under center who can lead an 80-yard drive with two minutes left against one of the best teams in the league. Fields hasn’t shown such a capacity up to this point. His inconsistencies in the pocket remain, and he has a horrible habit of turning the ball over late in games.
Poles might not be willing to overlook all of that, no matter how much he or others in the locker room love the guy. Still, one can’t ignore this groundswell of support. Players begged the organization to keep Buddy Ryan and Vic Fangio when the coaching staffs were overhauled. Maybe the same will happen with Justin Fields. If they do keep him, the path forward seems obvious. They will trade the #1 overall pick for a second time, secure more capital, and continue building up the offense around him. Maybe they will also find him a new offensive coordinator. Answers will arrive in two weeks.
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