We have absolutely no idea how the entire Chicago Bears situation is going to play out after this season. They are technically one game out of the final playoff spot in the NFC at 5-8. But no one in their right mind would mistake these Bears for a playoff-caliber team.
Throughout the first half of the season, talk surrounded Chicago cleaning house completely. That included team president Kevin Warren firing head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles. At about the same time, questions were continuing to be raised about quarterback Justin Fields’ future in Chicago.
We’ve seen some of this die down with the Bears having won three of four and Fields playing at a higher level recently. However, the dynamics in play are not as clear-cut as this. Chicago currently owns the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, courtesy of the Carolina Panthers stemming from a blockbuster trade last spring.
USC’s Caleb Williams is considered the consensus top quarterback in a draft class that is seen as being absolutely stacked at that position. The link between Williams and Chicago is obvious.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports spoke with several opposing general managers around the league. The consensus is that these Bears should trade Fields and select Williams at No. 1. The reasoning isn’t flawed.
“It would be a clear-cut decision to draft Caleb for me. The fact that we’re in Year 3 and [they] don’t want to exercise the fifth-year option tells me what I need to know. I just don’t think Fields can win consistently as a passer even though he is gifted physically.”
Unnamed AFC GM on Chicago Bears quarterback situation
A first-round pick of the Bears back in 2021, Fields entered Year 3 with some major question marks. While he did perform better as a sophomore than during a disastrous rookie campaign, consistency has been an issue. Since returning from injury, he’s accounted for just three total touchdowns in as many games. The numbers have not been great throughout the duration of Fields’ young career.
- Justin Fields stats: 60.9% completion, 5,922 passing yards, 2,021 rushing yards, 49 total TD, 27 INT
A lot of what happens at quarterback in Chicago will depend heavily on the Bears’ power structure following the 2023 season. If Eberflus and Poles are back, there is a decent chance Fields returns. If it is another duo calling the shots in the Windy City, we could be looking at dramatic roster changes — including moving off Fields.
Related: Justin Fields standing in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB rankings
Chicago Bears have a quarterback quandary
“Nobody wants to be judged or fired because they didn’t make the previous guy’s draft picks work,” an NFC GM told Robinson. “Especially quarterback and head coach.”
That’s the biggest unknown here. The aforementioned Warren had previously been given permission to clean house when Chicago was in the midst of a 14-game losing streak. It stands to reason that this is still the case despite the team turning it around to an extent.
If it’s another individual outside of Ryan Poles calling the shots for Chicago, the expectation is that these Bears will trade Justin Fields and select Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Remember, the team still has its own first-round pick — currently slated to be No. 5 overall.
Either way, there are a ton of decisions to be made in Chicago once the 2023 season comes to a conclusion. Perhaps, Fields is joining Eberflus and Poles in playing for his job.