A new report claims the Chicago Bears are now not so sure if Justin Fields will become the franchise quarterback they were hoping for when they decided not to keep the top pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
After a lot of growing pains in his rookie season, Justin Fields seemed to prove Chicago Bears decision-makers right by having a breakthrough year in 2022. He started in 15 games, threw for 400 yards more than the previous season, and his passer and quarterback ratings were up markedly from 2021. However, the biggest explosion came in his production as a dual threat.
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Last season, the 24-year-old joined Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick to become just the third QB in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards or more in a season. While the team finished with a horrid record and earned the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it was not his fault and the organization felt they had seen enough to trade out of the top spot and pass on the chance to take elite QB prospects Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson.
It is now starting to look like a major decision they might regret. After two games, Fields has seen his rating numbers plummet to a level below his rookie season, he has a 2-3 touchdown to interception ratio, and his yards per rushing attempt are also the worst of his career.
- Justin Fields stats (2023): 427 passing yards, 62 rushing yards, 3 total TD, 3 INT, 70.7 passer rating
Chicago Bears to give Justin Fields more running opportunities in Week 3
On Sunday morning, FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer explained what the team plans to do to improve his production in Week 3 against the Chiefs, but also their fear he may not be the fixture under center they once thought he would be.
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“What they’re gonna do for him this week, however, is they’re gonna have a lot more designed runs for him and have a lot more plays where he’s rolling out of the pocket on the throws. But they’ve also told him, ‘Look, if you don’t see anything after your first and second read, just throw the ball. Justin Fields still has a ways to go to convince the Bears he is their quarterback of the future, and that’s the reason they went out and got another No. 1 pick for this year’s draft.”
– Jay Glazer
The first-round pick Glazer is referencing is the Carolina Panthers in 2024, which they got from them earlier this year as part of a deal for the 2023 top pick. The Chicago Bears starting QB is only signed for one more season at a team-friendly price of $1.6 million.