NEWSLETTER
We’re not officially on “Justin Fields Trade Watch” just yet, but it feels like that time is coming soon.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Waddle and Silvy Show on Chicago’s ESPN AM-1000, NFL insider Adam Schefter shared some insight regarding what is on the horizon for the Chicago Bears:
I was in the car listening to the interview when it happened, so I can co-sign Aaron Leming’s takeaways in the tweet above. We’ll circle back with links to audio when I see it pop up as available. In the meantime, I’m just about ready to chew on some of the meat from Schefter’s radio hit. Most notably, the tidbit suggesting the Bears would “definitely” get a second-round pick for Fields and possibly a first.
A starting point for Justin Fields trade rumors
Figuring out what the Chicago Bears could get in a trade for quarterback Justin Fields is as challenging as finding meaning after piecing together clues for Taylor Swift’s next album based on internet crumbs she leaves along the way. Trust me, I’d know. I’m neck-deep in both right now. But for the sake of this post, we’ll focus on Fields and his future.
Justin Fields trade rumors have been bubbling underneath the surface since late in the 2023 NFL season. And while it isn’t something I wanted to dive too deep into during the season, it is something I’m more willing to get into now that it is in our rearview mirror.
Since the end of the regular season, we have explored the possibility of the Bears trading Fields and netting a first-round pick as a return, rounded up some possible trade destinations and landing spots, and discussed trade rumors (and the potential cost of doing business) that popped up during Senior Bowl week. In other words, Fields trade talks aren’t something we’re cooking up out of thin air. And the more we read and hear other high-profile NFL newsbreakers discuss the matter, the closer we get to a deal possibly getting done. To be clear, we’re nowhere close to that point. Heck, we’re only in the beginning stages. But that doesn’t make it any less real.
What is Justin Fields’ trade market?
Now that we have established that the possibility of the Chicago Bears trading Justin Fields is real, we should move on to discussing his trade market. As mentioned above, ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes Chicago’s football team will “definitely” get a second-rounder if it decides to draft a quarterback and move on from Fields. Instantly, my mind races to figure out which teams could be in the market to make such a move.
These are the teams I’ve come up with as the most sensible trade partners for the Bears:
New England Patriots, Pick No. 34: If quarterbacks go off the board with the first and second picks, the Patriots will be left holding the third pick and faced with quite a dilemma. Pats fans will be debating the idea of taking the third-best quarterback prospect of this class or selecting Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who could make a strong case for being the best prospect in this class. Should New England decide on going with Harrison, they’d still be in the market for a quarterback — which is where Fields fits in.
The Pats just hired former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo as an offensive assistant, per the folks at PFT. McAdoo famously ranked Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson as the top two quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft class. With this on our radar, it makes me wonder if New England’s new assistant coach would want to take a big swing at unlocking another toolsy and athletic quarterback like Justin Fields.
Also: Getting pick No. 34 would be neat as a Bears fan because that was Walter Payton’s number. How cool would that be?
Atlanta Falcons, Pick No. 43: The folks at Pro Football Focus shared this mock draft trade with the Bears today:
What do you think? Getting a second-round pick *AND* a fourth-round selection in a Fields trade would be more than what Schefter initially thought. Plus, this mock trade has the Bears getting backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke as part of the return. I’m not sure the Bears need Heinicke. Or why the Falcons would include their top contingency plan in a deal. But Heinicke does have a rad collection of Air Jordans, so at least he would come with a fun backstory.
The Falcons were a team that made sense in the eyes of some as a potential Bears trade partner. But that was before the team jettisoned coach Arthur Smith and brought in Raheem Morris. Still, the quarterback position remains up-in-the-air in Atlanta. And a Fields homecoming story would be fun to follow.
I wonder what new Falcons OC Zac Robinson (who interviewed with the Bears and probably had some thoughts about Fields) has in mind for the position.
Las Vegas Raiders, Pick No. 44: Not only did the Raiders kick the tires on Fields’ former OC, they hired Luke Getsy after a deal fell apart for Kliff Kingsbury. For what it’s worth, Getsy ended the year listing specific areas where Fields has improved. And in January, I came up with some reasons why Vegas made sense as a fitting landing spot for Fields:
Firstly, the Vegas football team needs change, and Fields could use a fresh start. That is a potential win-win scenario for both sides. Secondly, Fields would represent an upgrade from Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell. There is no denying Fields has untapped potential. Thirdly, bringing on Fields would keep the Raiders competitive in a tough AFC West while not handcuffing the team for the long term. And finally, Fields fits the Raiders’ mindset of being tough with something to prove. Plus, Fields would look cool in silver and black. Aesthetically, the Raiders have some of the coolest jerseys in football. Raiders jerseys weren’t popping up in 1990s and 2000s rap videos because they were practical.
Even with the Getsy factor, I can’t completely rule out a Vegas reunion (even if I’d also acknowledge that it would be the most unlikely scenario).
Pittsburgh Steelers, Pick No. 51: The Steelers are in quarterback limbo. This is a team that willingly started Mason Rudolph in a playoff game while 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett languished on the bench. But with Pittsburgh picking in the middle of the first round, they’ll likely be unable to take a big swing at the quarterback position. Hence, this is where Fields could come into play as an option for the Steelers — which also happens to be something we discussed in January:
