Should Chicago consider trading Justin Fields and drafting a QB?

The Chicago Bears are on the clock.

As the 2023 NFL Draft quickly approaches, the Bears have a decision to make on what they are going to do with the No. 1 pick. It is a potential franchise-altering decision that could shape the direction of the organization for years to come.

With several highly touted quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class, it is possible Chicago could select a QB with the top pick. If they were to do so, chances are the organization would in return move Justin Fields, who is just 23 years old and two years into his NFL career.

Despite the Bears finishing the 2022 campaign with an NFL-worst 3–14 record, Fields remained a bright spot on the team, throwing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while adding a franchise-record 1,143 yards on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns. In doing so, he became just the third QB in NFL history to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark, joining Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson.

But is it possible the Bears would move on from Fields after such a promising sophomore campaign?

According to a report from the Washington Post, multiple NFL general managers came away from the Senior Bowl with the impression that Chicago will trade Fields.

Colin Cowherd provided four reasons why the Bears should move Fields and draft a quarterback on Tuesday’s airing of “The Herd.”

“One more season of average-to-bad, and you’ll get nothing for him,” Cowherd said of how the Bears should view their situation with Fields. “Secondly, the Bears have a defensive coach and a defensive culture, and they didn’t draft him; he’s not their guy. Third, Chicago probably won’t have the No. 1 pick for a while. I don’t think they’ll be good, but you’re not gonna be in this territory again. And four, you had Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith, and you couldn’t win games. You think Will Anderson is gonna come in and turn the franchise around? In an offensive-pivoting league where it’s hard to go on a 10-game losing streak, in a year the Packers were down and the Vikings and Lions defenses were atrocious, they lost 10 straight games.

“I think you have to consider calling Atlanta and saying, ‘we’ll give you Justin Fields, give us your eighth pick,’ go get Bryce Young and then go get the second or third-best edge rusher.”

Cowherd later discussed how he likes Fields, but that he’s not in the echelon of a budding young quarterback like Trevor Lawrence. Instead, Cowherd compared Fields’ current situation to that of Trey Lance, in that he’ll have success if all the pieces are put around him. He also expressed doubt over whether the Bears can surround Fields with the needed pieces and how the team’s offensive line struggles are a bit overblown – referencing PFF ranking Chicago’s offensive line 14th in the sport last season.

Despite Fields’ record-setting rushing numbers, the Bears finished the 2022 campaign with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. They averaged 130.5 passing yards (last in NFL), 177.3 rushing yards (first), 307.8 total yards (28th) and 19.2 points (23rd) per game.

Chicago traded the No. 20 and No. 164 picks in the 2021 NFL Draft and its 2022 first- and fourth-rounder to the New York Giants for the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft to select Fields, a two-year starter out of Ohio State.

Fields appeared in 12 games in his rookie season (2021), making 10 starts. In that season, he totaled 1,870 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 73.2 passer rating, completing 58.9% of his passes. On the ground, Fields racked up 420 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Chicago is 9-25 over the last two seasons.

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