NEWSLETTER
The Atlanta Falcons are going to be in the quarterback market this offseason. The Desmond Ridder experiment has failed, and the Falcons have pieces to win now but will need to upgrade the quarterback position next season. On Sunday, they’ll get an intimate look at a quarterback who could be on the market this offseason — Justin Fields.
This whole conversation has to be prefaced with the fact that the Bears have not — publicly — decided on the quarterback position. There’s a real chance that they open the 2024 season with Fields under center. As I wrote earlier today, that decision will come down to the vision and preference of the coaching staff, which will look different, to some degree, in about a month.
But until the dust settles on the coaching staff at Halas Hall in late January/early February, we’re working off the premise that all options are on the table. One of those options is the Bears pulling the plug on Justin Fields. If that is the case, the Atlanta Falcons would undoubtedly be one of the teams on the phone with Ryan Poles — or whoever is making those decisions in a month — inquiring about Fields’ ability.
If that’s how this plays out, Justin Fields is a solid fit for the Falcons
A strong performance from Fields this week could go a long way in Atlanta’s evaluation and desire to acquire Fields from the Bears.
Fields is a Georgia native. A homecoming would be a fun story for the fans in Atlanta, and you’ll hear all about that this weekend. It’ll be like the White Sox broadcast mentioning that former Royals infielder Nicky Lopez was from Naperville 15 times per game every season. Guess what? Nicky Lopez now plays for the White Sox. So, the insufferable local kid references parlayed into a homecoming.
But beyond the superficial hometown kid references, there’s substance to the idea of Justin Fields landing in Atlanta if Chicago decides to move in another direction this offseason.
“The thing that I think makes Justin so unique is he’s such a powerful runner once he gets going,” Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith said this week. “Even when they get pressure, guys have a hard time bringing him down. When he gets out of it, if you’re not strong and don’t use fundamentals or you don’t have rush integrity, when he takes off, especially when the defense has their back turned, those are damn near home runs once he gets going because he’s a powerful runner.”
We know how much Arthur Smith loves him, a powerful runner!
“In the history of this league, (a quarterback) being in the right place with the right chemistry of guys and the right staff, timing, that can impact guys’ careers,” “Smith continued on Fields this week. “If a guy can extend plays, he’s a dynamic player. They’re winning games because they can extend drives; they chew up the clock. Some of it is traditional zone read. Some of it is direct quarterback pin-pull plays. However you want to categorize those, you’re just running it to get an extra hat out there in the run game. They do a really damn good job of it. They’ve done it for two years in a row. They’ve found a formula.”
Smith stopped short of projecting what Fields would look like in his offense, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Smith is no stranger to this line of questioning. He’s been asked at every chance since he took over as the Falcons head coach the same season Fields was drafted.
But we don’t need him to delve that deep. We know Justin Fields would look better in an offense that fits his skill set. The problem is, the Bears haven’t built that for him. Luke Getsy wants Fields to fit his scheme, not vice versa.
As I mentioned earlier, the Justin Fields decision will come down to whether or not the following coaching staff and front office are willing to cater the offense to his skills. If the answer is yes, then they have their quarterback. His ceiling — in the right system — is undeniable. If the answer is no, the Falcons will have a terrific opportunity to scout Fields firsthand this weekend.
