NEWSLETTER
Caleb Williams making it official and declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft has set the ball in motion for the Chicago Bears offseason. And while there are 101 days until the NFL Draft begins, there is one question the Bears should answer before they make a decision whether or not to take Williams – what should happen with Justin Fields?
Long-time ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. was asked what he would do if he was put in Bears General Manager Ryan Poles’ shoes. There is a full 3-minute, 37-second clip at ESPN that you can watch here. But this snippet is what will generate a ton of discussion between now and the draft:
“If you trade Justin Fields to Atlanta, you could get the eighth pick overall. So you can 1, 8, and 9. A lot of maneuverability for the Bears.”
After watching the whole segment, I need to be excessively clear with a point: Mel Kiper Jr. isn’t reporting anything. I’m not even sure he is saying he thinks the Bears can get a first-rounder for Fields. Saying that they could do so is more a guess than saying they can get one. It’s nit-picky, sure. But words matter. As does their deployment. Also, Kiper isn’t discussing this in a way that a deal could be imminent. Instead, if you watch the entire segment, Kiper is simply throwing out the idea of the Bears getting a first-round pick in a trade for Fields. In fairness, it is a heckuva idea from Kiper.
What’s next for Justin Fields?
No matter which quarterbacks could be available at the start of free agency in March or in the 2024 NFL Draft, Justin Fields figures to have a market of teams that will be interested in his services. And that is if the front office in Chicago decides it wants to part ways with Fields this offseason.
Kiper offers up Atlanta (a QB-needy team that isn’t picking high enough to pick from the upper crust of this class) as a fit, then pivots into discussing a hypothetical in which the Bears can use their other first-round picks to move back, get a second-rounder, and go from there. Of course, the Falcons won’t be the only team that (in theory) could be in the hunt for Fields. For instance, NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock proposes the Raiders (who would send picks in the 2nd and 4th round) as a landing spot. Josh Edwards (CBS Sports) lists the Commanders, Patriots, Buccaneers, Vikings, Steelers, Falcons, and Seahawks as other quarterback-needy teams to keep tabs on this offseason.
In any case, I am intrigued by the idea of the Bears getting a good return in a trade for Justin Fields. After all, if Ryan Poles is open to anything, then we should brace ourselves and be open to anything, too.
