It remains to be seen if the Chicago Bears will pull off a Justin Fields trade this coming offseason. Chicago locked up the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by virtue of the Carolina Panthers losing in Week 17. Remember, the team acquired that pick in the blockbuster trade that netted Carolina No. 1 pick Bryce Young.
For most of his third season in the NFL rumors persisted that Fields would be out of a job once March comes calling.
That’s no longer a guarantee with a recent report indicating that head coach Matt Eberflus will return next season. In fact, the Bears have played extremely well recently. They boast a 7-5 record after starting the season 0-4.
Whether this is enough for general manager Ryan Poles and Co. to stick with Fields for another season remains to be seen. But we do have some information on what he might be able to bring back in a trade.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin indicate that those around the league believe Fields could net Chicago a second-or-third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“The consensus in an informal poll of league evaluators is that Fields would be worth a second- or third-round pick in a pre-draft trade. When compared to former top-10 picks recently traded, that’s better than Trey Lance, whom Dallas acquired from San Francisco for a fourth-round pick, but slightly worse than Sam Darnold, who, along with a sixth-round pick, went from the Jets to Carolina in exchange for second- and fourth-rounders.”
Report on Justin Fields trade value
Chicago’s decision in this regard will be franchise-altering. That’s especially true with USC’s Caleb Williams and Drake Maye of North Carolina seen as potential franchise signal callers in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Related: Ideal Justin Fields trade scenarios
Will the Chicago Bears pull off a Justin Fields trade?
The aforementioned report indicates that Chicago would net multiple first-round picks, second rounders and a potentially elite young player in return for moving down from the top pick. It would be more than what the Panthers paid Chicago last spring.
That’s the issue here. Value. If the Bears’ brass comes to the conclusion that they can win with Justin Fields, they would be better off getting a haul for the top pick. Then again, Williams is seen as a generational talent. Couple that with Fields’ average play, and the decision becomes more difficult.
- Justin Fields stats (2023): 61% completion, 2,414 passing yards, 630 rushing yards, 20 total TD, 9 INT
The current span that has seen Chicago win four of five has also included Fields’ pedestrian play continuing. The former Ohio State star has recorded four touchdown passes with three interceptions.
Either way, this is an intriguing storyline to watch play out in the Windy City as the 2023 NFL season draws to a conclusion.