Justin Fields Isn’t Looking Like An Answer For Bears’ Future At Quarterback

Did the Chicago Bears make a mistake when they stuck with Justin Fields rather than use the first overall pick to grab a quarterback from the 2023 draft class?

Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson were instant starters, and it may not be too much longer before Will Levis gets his chance to replace Ryan Tannehill. Fields continues to look like a one-dimensional talent despite the efforts of Bears GM Ryan Poles to upgrade the offensive cast around him — although, that being said, the line remains a mess.

The Bears have been outscored 65-37 by Tampa Bay and Green Bay, with Fields 31st in ESPN’s quarterback ranking (23.0) and 26th in passer ranking (70.7). He’s completed 61 percent of his passes for 214 yards per game, with two touchdowns, three interceptions and 10 sacks.

This was not how Poles drew it up when he traded the first pick to Carolina for a package including D.J. Moore and then passed on defensive dynamo Jalen Carter to select massive tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick.

“I’m just not sold on (Fields),” an NFC scout told the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs after the Week 1 loss. “He doesn’t see the field. Holds the ball. Indecisive. Hard to win consistently with a run-first guy. But he’s a very talented runner.”

You don’t just an NFL season on how things shape up in September. But the Bears have now lost 12 games in a row and gone 5-22 with Fields as the starting quarterback. They play Kansas City on Sunday, which will provide another chance to remember when Poles’ predecessor, Ryan Pace, selected Mitchell Trubisky ahead of Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft.

Fields needs to find a way to make it appear there are two winning quarterbacks on the field in Kansas City even if the Bears are 13-point underdogs.

While Poles is charged with deciding whether to extend Fields — or exercise his fifth-year option — after the full season has run its course, it’s possible he could make that decision in time to take a long look at the undrafted Tyson Bagent, who offers the same kind of promise that led San Francisco to abandon Trey Lance for Brock Purdy.

Bagent, who set an NCAA record with 159 touchdowns while passing for 300-plus yards in all four seasons at Division II Shepherd University, played well enough in the preseason to take a roster spot away from veteran P.J. Walker. He’s third on the depth chart behind Fields and Nathan Peterman but represents the current non-Fields option.

While Poles and coach Matt Eberflus spoke confidently about Fields when they passed on the chance to draft a quarterback, they guaranteed him only a chance to prove himself in 2023. They have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and an extra second-rounder in ’25, so Poles is well positioned to grab a high-profile quarterback next April.

The 2024 draft is expected to include USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Texas’ Quinn Ewers. The talk about those options is sure to turn into a communal scream if Fields doesn’t end the Bears’ losing streak when they play Denver, Washington and Minnesota after Kansas City.

It is going to take a lot to erase memories of how the Bears couldn’t compete with the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers at Soldier Field.

Fields connected with Moore for six catches worth 104 yards on Sunday but unraveled after a well-scripted opening drive. He threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Chase Claypool to get the Bears within three in the fourth but got picked off on the next two possessions, including a middle screen that Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett returned for a touchdown.

The Bears’ offensive line has been depleted by injuries and real-life concerns, with free agent guard Nate Davis dealing with a death in the family. Their ground game hasn’t been the same without David Montgomery, who departed for Detroit when he couldn’t agree on a contract extension. Khalil Herbert, who replaced Montgomery, has only 62 yards on 16 attempts.

Fields, who was seventh in the league in rushing a year ago, has only 62 yards in 13 carries. Tampa Bay’s defensive scheme took away his chance to run (four yards on three carries), forcing him to throw the ball.

The results were predictable for a quarterback who hasn’t passed for 2300 yards in a season since 2019, the first of his two years at Ohio State. Something has to change soon or the Bears are going to move on from Fields, just like they did Trubisky.