Matt Johnson
The Chicago Bears displayed their confidence in quarterback Justin Fields this offseason by trading the first overall pick and strengthening the supporting cast around the young signal-caller. With training camp approaching, it appears that sign of confidence is being rewarded.
Chicago hoped that Fields would show early signs of making the third-year leap that NFL stars like Josh Allen have in the past. Another year in Luke Getsy’s offense and improvements made to the receiving corps and offensive line were designed to help accelerate that improvement.
- Justin Fields stats (2022): 60.4% completion rate, 17-11 TD-INT, 7.1 yards per attempt, 85.2 quarterback rating, 2,242 passing yards, 55 sacks taken
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While there will be no definitive answers on whether or not Fields can be an NFL star until the regular season, the early buzz from the Bears’ offseason practices suggest a breakout year could be just around the corner.
During an appearance on ESPN, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said that those he’s spoken with in Chicago have raved about Fields both as a passer and leader this spring.
“The people I’ve spoken to out of Chicago say that Justin Fields is ‘slingin’ it’ this offseason and that he’s had a nice command of the Bears’ offense. He’s changing plays at the line of scrimmage and feels good about taking ownership of things”
Jeremy Fowler on Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields
The Bears already knew that Fields would be a dangerous rushing threat next season. Not only did he rush for over 1,000 yards in 2022, Fields looked like one of the most athletic players in the NFL. So, it came down to whether or not he’d improve as a passer.
- Justin Fields rushing stats: 1,143 rushing yards, 7.1 yards per carry, 8 rushing touchdowns
There was certainly a lot of room for improvement. Fields ranked 28th in rate of On-Target throws (71.1%) last season, he was responsible for the most sacks taken (55) and he ranked 26th in passer rating (61.2) when pressured.
If Fields is a more accurate passer and shows better poise and processing ability under pressure, it dramatically changes the Bears’ passing offense next season. One thing that will also boost Chicago’s aerial attack is the arrival of wide receiver DJ Moore. Weeks out of training camp, the chemistry is already further along than expected.
Justin Fields building early chemistry with DJ Moore
It takes time for a quarterback and wide receiver to develop chemistry. Training camp plays a pivotal role in that process and even then, the furthest strides aren’t made until both players are weeks into the regular season.
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It could be happening much quicker in Chicago. Before departing after minicamp, Fields told reporters that his chemistry with Moore is coming along much faster than even he expected.
“It did come on quickly. I didn’t really expect anything because it’s different for each guy, but I feel like with DJ, his body language is pretty easy to read. Early on we communicated on how we want each route ran and stuff like that. Of course, he has a lot of experience. He’s been in the league for a good period of time now. He’s played a lot of football, so he knows different coverages really well. That’s one thing that I was kind of impressed about with the offense coming in and just understanding, seeing coverages really well on short routes and stuff like that.”
Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields on his chemistry with DJ Moore (H/T ESPN)
Moore, who ranked fourth in deep targets (29) last season, has an opportunity for a Pro Bowl season. He’s often posted stat lines that don’t reflect his skill level due to poor quarterback play with the Carolina Panthers. Now, he and Fields could help each other become better players for the Bears this season and beyond.
