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Justin Fields, the Chicago Bears and a quarterback conundrum
Posted on 1/2/24 at 12:55 pm
Posted on 1/2/24 at 12:55 pm
quote:
Three seasons and 37 starts into his NFL career, Fields' version of the Bears has at times appeared tantalizingly close to a breakthrough. The No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft has displayed physical gifts, command of an offense and clear leadership qualities -- but on a sporadic basis. He has endured head coach and coordinator changes amid a roster teardown and an attempted rebuild, while working alongside an offensive supporting cast that has done him few favors.
The Bears have made strides with Fields at quarterback, but as the 2023 season draws to a close Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Chicago's brain trust must determine whether the 24-year-old still represents the future, and the decision is complicated.
Two of the men positioned to make the call on Fields, second-year general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus, are not guaranteed to be back in 2024. Poles, who has worked well with his boss, first-year team president Kevin Warren, per sources, appears poised to return. Eberflus' future is a little more uncertain after a second straight losing season, though the Bears' 7-5 record over the past 12 games bolsters his case. The presence of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, acquired by the Bears in a March trade with the Carolina Panthers, looms over all the key figures.
While Fields has good relationships with Poles, Eberflus and all of Chicago's decision-makers, the top pick offers the possibility that USC quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye or someone else could be a better long-term answer for a franchise that has not known true quarterback stability since Sid Luckman helped revolutionize the passing game in the 1940s. But Chicago's embattled leaders, should Poles and Eberflus return, also need to win in 2024. Are they prepared to hitch their wagon to a rookie, even a supremely talented one?
quote:
Though the progress is undeniable, it's when you zoom out and take in the totality of Fields' three-year career that the picture becomes fuzzier and complicates the organization's long-term evaluation.
Through Sunday's games, Fields ranks last in the NFL this season among 31 qualified quarterbacks in fourth-quarter completion percentage (51.8%), is 25th in yards per attempt (5.9), tied for 29th in fourth-quarter interceptions (6) and 30th in QBR (20.4), per ESPN Stats & Information research.
Since joining the league in 2021, Fields is last among 38 qualified quarterbacks in fourth-quarter interceptions (16), 36th in completion percentage (56.2%) and 33rd in QBR (41.4). Conversely, his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 4.3 in the first three quarters this season is the NFL's fourth best among 31 qualified quarterbacks.
When evaluators around the league watch Fields, they can't help but notice what holds him back -- mainly, a tendency to hold on to the ball too long from the pocket, failing to see routes develop. He's last in the league among 31 qualified quarterbacks in average time per pass (3.23 seconds) in 2023, and last among 38 qualified quarterbacks in that metric since entering the league (3.10 seconds). In 37 career starts, Fields has surpassed 225 passing yards six times. Eighteen NFL starters average at least 230 yards per game this season.
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Posted on 1/2/24 at 12:57 pm to RLDSC FAN
This is the state of football now. Many of these QBs do not know how to play QB. They are two checks and run athletes. They get to the NFL, which is full of elite athletes, and do not have the skills to play the game.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 12:59 pm to RLDSC FAN
I like how it says things get fuzzier and then proceeds to tell you how he's basically dead last in a bunch of categories
Not fuzzy to me, if I were the GM I'd be getting a new QB. Depending on who they want of CW, DM, or JD they could even trade down and still get their guy (unless they want CW).
Not fuzzy to me, if I were the GM I'd be getting a new QB. Depending on who they want of CW, DM, or JD they could even trade down and still get their guy (unless they want CW).
Posted on 1/2/24 at 12:59 pm to RLDSC FAN
Its pretty easy. Your team isn't close to competing.
Reset the clock on a contract with a new QB, trade Fields for what you can get.
Use the other pick on WR or OL.
Getting more time to rebuild and actually be good before the next QB contract comes in is essential.
Reset the clock on a contract with a new QB, trade Fields for what you can get.
Use the other pick on WR or OL.
Getting more time to rebuild and actually be good before the next QB contract comes in is essential.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:00 pm to RLDSC FAN
I saw a stat about Fields that blew my mind. When Fields beat Arizona last week, he won his fourth game of the season. That’s most games Fields has won in a season during his career.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:02 pm to Locoguan0
quote:
This is the state of football now. Many of these QBs do not know how to play QB. They are two checks and run athletes. They get to the NFL, which is full of elite athletes, and do not have the skills to play the game.
this ^^^^^
and that is why JD will be a bust just like murray and fields are. running QBs are not QBs, they are running backs that can throw the ball
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:02 pm to Sho Nuff
They could potentially walk out with Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabors, and an additional pick in the first round.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:06 pm to Locoguan0
quote:
This is the state of football now. Many of these QBs do not know how to play QB.
When has this not been true? When has there not been busts at QB?
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:07 pm to RLDSC FAN
quote:I don't even see the conundrum.
Justin Fields, the Chicago Bears and a quarterback conundrum
Fields is in year 3, that's way past the time where you see huge improvements if you have a legit QB. Simply put, they would know if they had a legit QB, if you have to wonder, you don't have one.
Fields is a bottom 10 NFL QB in a watered down QB season. He hasn't been good, the way he gets propped up is so weird to me. He's simply not good.
You have a top pick in a draft with 2 legit QB prospects. This should be a no brainer decision to trade Fields and get you a new QB.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:07 pm to keakar
quote:
running QBs are not QBs, they are running backs that can throw the ball
Yet some of the best QBs are running QBs.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:08 pm to SlowFlowPro
QB is just the hardest position maybe in all of sports to get right.
You could draft a potential all time great that WOULD have been an all time great at another spot, but he stinks because of where he was drafted: wrong system, gets beat to death behind a horrible OL, etc.
You could draft a potential all time great that WOULD have been an all time great at another spot, but he stinks because of where he was drafted: wrong system, gets beat to death behind a horrible OL, etc.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:09 pm to shel311
At worst, you move back maybe 3-4 spots and STILL draft a QB given this draft and a WR or OL.
But yes, you definitely take a QB and trade Fields for anything
But yes, you definitely take a QB and trade Fields for anything
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:13 pm to Fun Bunch
quote:Yep, the money piece is big here too. 2 more cost control years of Fields. Trade him and you get 5 more years.
Reset the clock on a contract with a new QB, trade Fields for what you can get.
Use the other pick on WR or OL.
Getting more time to rebuild and actually be good before the next QB contract comes in is essential.
Other than the wealth of data that tells us Fields isn't a top 20 NFL QB, one of the easiest way to this is...if the Bears decided to trade Justin Fields, can they get a top 3 overall draft pick for him or does he have top 3 value? Not even close.
There's an article from today that league circles say he can get a 2nd/3rd round pick. It would be organizational malfeasance to keep him over taking a QB with the #1 pick...but Bears...
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:17 pm to Fun Bunch
quote:
Reset the clock on a contract with a new QB, trade Fields for what you can get.
Yeah, that's the one point Fields backers aren't getting. Even if you like Fields, he's going to be a free agent in two years. If he steadily improves, you're going to have to either pay him a massive long-term contract ala Daniel Jones or let him go. The only justification for keeping him is if you have a massive amount of faith that Fields will be able to take his game to another level and be a top 5, top 10 QB. That's an enormous risk to take.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:20 pm to Bench McElroy
quote:Correct
The only justification for keeping him is if you have a massive amount of faith that Fields will be able to take his game to another level and be a top 5, top 10 QB. That's an enormous risk to take.
Now throw in the idea that Fields has never shown an actual consistent reason to believe he can sniff being a top level QB. Again, every metric over 3 years, not just from the OP, tells us he's not a top 20 QB.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:32 pm to RLDSC FAN
My guess is that some one like ATL will offer a nice package for Fields and Chi will jump on it.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:34 pm to keakar
I’m not sure Williams is any better than fields
Bryce young looked awful this year not all his fault
Bryce young looked awful this year not all his fault
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:43 pm to Fun Bunch
quote:
Your team isn't close to competing.
Wrong! Bears are one good, smart offseason from being dangerous, perhaps even a similar situation to the Lions of last year.
Chicago is in a MUCH better situation than the Saints, for example.
Now, I would probably trade Fields and pick Caleb but the decision isn't 100 percent clear cut and easy.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:49 pm to keakar
quote:
and that is why JD will be a bust just like murray and fields are. running QBs are not QBs, they are running backs that can throw the ball
You are so fricking stupid.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:51 pm to Cole Beer
quote:
Chicago is in a MUCH better situation than the Saints, for example.
That's fair as I think the Saints are fricked in ways other teams couldn't even dream of.
quote:
isn't 100 percent clear cut and easy.
I disagree here, it is extremely clear when you factor in contracts
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