As much as Chicago Bears fans may hate it, Justin Fields’ trade talk isn’t going away. It probably won’t be until the 1st round of the draft ends and the team doesn’t pick a quarterback. By then, people should get used to it. What makes it even more troubling is how several people who’ve worked in the league believe it’s possible. Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp even said he heard the Bears are considering trading fields and going with Alabama’s Bryce Young instead.
It seems too soon to believe that GM Ryan Poles has come to such a conclusion. He hasn’t even met with any of the top quarterbacks in this draft class. The Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine stay ahead. There is a lot to do before a decision is made. Despite this, enthusiasm for Fields continues. Top insider Benjamin Allbright was the last to join the action. He’s one of the most connected people out there, so it was interesting to see his response when asked if the smoke around Fields was legitimate.
I don’t think it’s “likely” that they’re dealing with Fields, but their front office there conducts due diligence, which is the mark of a responsible organization. https://t.co/hb04T27Bhz
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) January 28, 2023
Poles didn’t lie about Justin Fields.
He said the current plan is for the 24-year-old to be the starter next season. He’s done enough to earn that right. However, his job as GM is to always keep his options open. He’ll be evaluating this draft class, including quarterbacks. If he gets knocked out by one of them, it might change his mind. Don’t forget he didn’t draft Fields, and the young quarterback showed plenty of lasting errors. Yes, he was an electric runner, but his passing game was subpar and he fumbled 16 times. These things can’t just be ignored because he had some fantastic highlights.
The hope is that the Bears will beef up the offensive roster with better players this offseason. Then Justin Fields will get a fair shake similar to what happened to Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. If he falters again in 2023, the Bears may consider a quarterback change in 2024. The counter-argument, of course, is that the team probably won’t have the No. 1 next year. Therefore, this decision of the Poles is a big one. He needs to be absolutely certain that none of these incoming quarterbacks will be better than Fields. Otherwise, revisionist historians will berate him for not making the change.