Barring an unexpected development, Ryan Poles will have the opportunity to consider another trade involving a No. 1 overall pick. The second-year Bears GM is unlikely to be fired, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin. But a similar decision awaits him once the season ends.
Poles’ 2023 choice equipped the Bears with a haul of draft choices, including a Panthers pick now guaranteed to check in at No. 1 overall, but the young GM has not seen Justin Fields submit an open-and-shut case to stay on for a fourth season. Recommitting to Fields would now require the Bears to trade a No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. Considering Poles was not with the team when it traded up for Fields in 2021, the stakes attached to the GM’s next decision are even higher.
Since coming back from an early-season injury, Fields has impressed in spurts. The third-year QB is believed to have made the Bears’ decision more difficult, Fowler and Cronin note, but two anonymous GMs said (via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora) Chicago should still be expected to draft Caleb Williams — who has not yet officially declared — first overall and trade Fields. A panel of NFL staffers said the same last month, indicating the Ohio State alum would be highly unlikely to fetch the Bears a first-round pick in a 2024 trade.
Fields’ recent spurt aside, his overall body of work would make passing on a prospect like Williams difficult. Chicago’s dual-threat passer is 8-19 as a starter and has struggled in fourth quarters this season. Per ESPN, Fields ranks last out of qualified passers with a 51.8% fourth-stanza completion rate while sitting 30th in QBR in final periods. Since 2021, Fields’ 16 fourth-quarter INTs lead the league. Fields’ run-game brilliance and superior work earlier in games (No. 4 in TD-INT ratio through games’ first three quarters this season) works in his favor, but thus far, more expect the Bears to start over rather than stick here.
If Fields can win what was previously described as an uphill battle and keep his job for 2024 — something that would require the Bears to pick up his fifth-year option by May — Poles will likely view this as a hotter ticket compared to the 2023 top pick. It cost the Panthers D.J. Moore, their Nos. 9 and 61 picks last year, their 2024 first and a 2025 second to move up for Young. Williams’ prospect status topping those of Young or C.J. Stroud points to the Bears setting a higher price, with ESPN.com adding several execs view the USC talent as being worth two future first-rounders and either a Day 2 pick or a veteran on a reasonable contract.
It cost the 49ers two future first-rounders and a third to climb nine spots for Trey Lance. The Eagles gave up a first-rounder, two seconds and two thirds for Jared Goff in 2016. Washington’s price to climb from No. 6 to No. 2 for Robert Griffin III was two future firsts and a second in 2012. It will, then, be worth debating if the Bears are better off continuing to build around Fields and the haul they could receive for the presumptive Williams draft slot or starting over with the 2022 Heisman winner (on rookie-deal money through at least 2026) and whatever they receive in a trade for Fields. Chicago’s incumbent QB would be worth a second- or third-rounder in a pre-draft swap, per Fowler.
The Bears giving up on Fields after three years would match the timeline Mitch Trubisky received. A three-and-done Fields stay would also show how the league has changed since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts. Rex Grossman was in Chicago for six years, though he did not finish out his tenure as the team’s starter. Despite leading the Bears to just one playoff berth, Jay Cutler stayed as the Bears’ QB1 for eight seasons. With Cutler checking in perhaps just south of the franchise-QB bar, Chicago has been in search of its next such piece since at least Jim McMahon, whose injury troubles shortened his Windy City stay.
These factors complicate Poles’ decision, but he is expected to be the one making it. Fowler and Cronin add Poles has cultivated a good relationship with new president Kevin Warren. A Sunday report indicated Matt Eberflus was more likely than not to stay on, but La Canfora notes the prospect of Warren — who arrived in Chicago after both Eberflus and Poles — firing the two-year HC and starting with a more offensively oriented leader (in the event Williams is drafted) should not be dismissed.
This would represent a tough ending for Eberflus, who has the Bears at 7-5 over their past 12 games. With complications surrounding their front office, coaching staff and quarterback, the upcoming offseason promises to be a seminal stretch for the Bears. Should they give Fields a fourth season or turn to Williams? Is Eberflus capable of becoming a long-term HC answer?
I don’t think the Eagles draft Jared Goff in 2016…?
The Rams drafted Goff.
Fields needs to claim race has to do with him getting no unnecessary roughness calls man, I’m tired of seeing this dude get abused and the refs getting on their knees to clean grass stains off other QBs feet
Yeah, that would explain guys like Roethlisberger getting the absolute tar kicked out of him for 15 years with nary a flag. I realize roughing the QB calls have changed in the past few years but come on, big, mobile QB’s pay the price almost every game
It would be a classic touch of irony if the Bears trade that pick to the Giants and get a bunch of picks and ask for John Michael Schmitz back in the deal and get the C they should of gotten somehow last year. I think they needed a C way worse than a CB but after a rough start Stevenson is validating the pick by Poles. That would be awesome. That way at 5 they could get one of those OT’s and let him start out at G for that slug Davis and still have #10 to get something else. I’m almost drooling thinking about it.
I can’t see any way the Giants trade up. They have too many holes (especially on the OL; ie, they’re not giving up Schmitz) to throw a bunch of assets away to get a QB that would have an even worse OL (because of the loss of Schmitz) than they have now. And their OL is pretty awful.
That said, I would try to trade down if I was the Bears. I know people don’t like him but I think Fields could develop into a really good QB. Trading down and getting a bunch of assets to build around him could work.
If they don’t trade down, then they should trade Fields and build around whatever QB they take.
Schmitz is one of the worst linemen in the NFL
I think you meant the Rams drafted Goff.
Or maybe he meant the Eagles drafted Carson Wentz.
Bears could set themselves up nicely.
I’d trade the pick.
Goal 1 would be trade with Patriots pick up the #3 or #2 and some extra picks. Grab Marvin Harrison Jr.
Goal 2 would be trade back from your pick and let someone trade up for Daniels or Penix. Id target Amarius Mims for a LT in mid 1st.
At some point bears should get a 2nd back in a deal and target Van Pran out of Georgia for C as well.
Walking away with Harrison Jr, Mims, and Van Pran plus whatever else they get would help push them significantly forward
Mims is a project. A day 2 pick at best.
Many pundits have Mims going in mid to late first citing an athletic tackle with room to grow.
Fields isn’t it. Move him for a second rounder if lucky and draft Williams. He’s a more convincing QB than Trub or Fields were coming out of college, and they can still get an OL or WR with their next pick. And if they are able to get a second rounder for Fields, it’s yet another player to the roster of rookie hopefuls.
This is the one time the Bears lucked out and should keep that luck flowing with a QB selection that’s more hit than miss.
The Bears are not drafting Williams. Right it down. You heard from me first.
He is a smaller version of Justin Fields, but with attitude issues to boot. If they draft a QB, they will go with someone not like Fields.
I don’t think you can write anything down at this point. But to elaborate on a QB other than Williams- I think Poles could trade Fields, trade out of one for his big haul, and still get the guy whose looked better than all of em… Pennix.
And regardless of what they do, Getsy’s got to go.
This was their real problem. Guy seems to be an idiot. Never understand why these organizations hire terrible coaches to teach their new QB from scratch. There are several pretty proven guys in this respect from Greg Roman to Darryl Bevil to Jim Caldwell who would do a great job with a young QB.
Penix? No.
Jim McMahon had attitude issues. Coincidence, that’s the last time the Bears won.
Yeah, but can Caleb do the Super Bowl Shuffle like him?
Caleb can’t beat top 25 teams. No he won’t do the SB shuffle.
Williams screams bust:
The lackluster play against good defenses, calling himself ‘Superman’ and literally crying in his mothers arms after a loss.Not the kind of guy you draft at 1, or the first round really.
Saying he is more convincing than Tru’bust’sky is not saying much either.
By most accounts Harrison Jr is a cannot miss WR who is likely to make any QB better, including Fields. If the Bears go cheap and try to get the ‘next best’ WR to Harrison I think they are asking for a busted draft, especially if they pick Williams
Seems like top 5 QB’s bust all the time.
How safe a bet is it that this guy will end being better than Fields?
Cuz being able to load up on picks again starts to get into early 90’s Cowboys territory and has to be very tempting.
The funny thing is that we see what two-time SB champ and MVP Mahomes looks like with bad receivers this year. Imagine what he would have looked like as a rookie on these terrible Bear teams, and that’s with this notion that Williams is even going to live up to that hype of being like Mahomes. All the people who said take a QB last year would have cost them four current significant starters on their team, which would have led to some kind of 2-15 type of situation again with a rookie QB.
I tend to agree with this thinking. I think they should grab the best player and that dude happens to be a skill player who will help your QB (Harrison Jr). Look at the best QBs in the league right now. How many were 1-1 picks? Or even top 5? Lamar, Purdue, Mahomes, Hurts. Even Allen was picked #7. All I’m saying is build up the quality of Tyler roster then bring in a QB if needed. You can find them all over the draft, if you are good enough to evaluate. Doesn’t need to be 1-1. Otherwise you end up like Carolina!
It’s so quiet a year into Young’s career when I saw a whole lot of you can’t pass on him takes back in April before Chicago traded that pick. Those people are going to give the exact same take a year later. They really got four direct starters from that trade. I would do the exact same thing again.
Exactly. The thinking seems to be “yeah let’s trade Justin Fields and draft Williams. Who knows he could be good, he could even be as good as… Justin Fields!”
Yeah at that BS argument of drafting a QB like Williams of ‘he is a cheaper QB for the next few years’ is a lot of ‘McCaskey’ talk. I really hope that is not how Poles is running his office. If so, expect more mediocrity for the next few seasons (at least)
Here we go bears are gonna talk themselves into trading away the best QB prospect in two years and keep the guy with double the loses as wins in Fields.
Fields has had crap offensive lines and until this season hasn’t had a legitimate WR. He’s shown what he can do with one good WR and an improved line. Grab another top OL with their own 1st and use Carolina’s 1st to trade for a good WR again and add to their haul of picks.
If you have to build an entire team around him to be successful that is exactly why you draft a different QB especially with an amazing talent like Williams. All the above average to great QBs in this league make up in areas they are deficient at. For example Burrow dragging a god awful OL to the Super Bowl, or Mahomes winning 10 games with a bad WR core, or Rodgers making the playoffs every year with below average to bad defenses. If you need to have the perfect defense the perfect OL two good recievers and good running game for the QB to look competent he isn’t the guy.
Williams is not better than Fields. Williams is smaller than Richardson who was the guy with all the same tools last year and played 3 games before he found out that NFL LB’s are bigger than College LB’s. Then spent the rest of the year playing cards while rehabbing. No thanks. You get Fields a C and a RG that don’t act stupid and The O line is set. Draft one of the T’s like Alt or Fashanu and let him start out at G and have him available as a backup OT. The Bears can get a QB later as they still need a decent BU at the very least. A guy like Daniels or Ewers.
Tell me you don’t watch the games without telling me you don’t watch the games lol.
If you think Richardson who never threw more than two touchdowns in a single college game is on the same planet of a passer as Williams who threw more than 3 touchdowns 6 times last year then I don’t know to tell you other then to recommend you go get your eyes checked.
Dark Ghost- I didn’t say anywhere that Richardson was better than anyone. Reading is a skill. I said Richardson was last years Williams. A running QB with a big arm, and a way bigger guy than Williams who didn’t last 4 games. We already have that guy, Except he’s 3 years farther along and just now learning the pro game. We have one of the 2 best running QB’s in the league. Not to mention I just saw Williams backup throw 6 TD’s like it was no big deal. Maybe you should learn how to read first, and then watch the game yourself. If I was going to take a QB to start over it would be Maye.
Uncle Mike- Understanding your own comparison is also a skill. You compared Richardsons skill set to Williams.
So like I said tell me you don’t actually watch the games without telling me you don’t actually watch the games.
Williams is a pure passer with the ability to run and escape. His skill set is way closer to mahomes. Comparing Anthony Richardson who was rushing the ball 10 times a game on designed runs trying to barrel over defenders is so different than a guy that uses his legs to augment his passing abilities and can scramble if nothings available.
Bottom line is if it took him 3 years and he needs a good offensive line a good running game and 2 good WRs to finally look competent he isn’t the guy but by all means pay him the 25-30 million it will cost for him and then see how the teams looks when they can’t afford to have all the talent around him.
Daniels isn’t going to be anybody’s backup. He’s going top ten himself.
@uncle – Richardson has zero touch and makes poor decisions on the field. Maybe that will change overtime, but the biggest tool that matters is the one on the shoulders.
Did Willam’s make usc look competent?
His backup threw 6 TD’s after Williams quit on his team. That’s all I need to know. Bears should pass and trade down and let somebody else make that mistake. He will be next years Bryce Young. They do need a better B/U QB. They should get back into the 2nd round and get somebody. There is always a QB that falls. Bears first 2 picks should be a WR and a OL.
Yeah and Jake Browning came in for Joe Burrow and looked awesome for 3 weeks. Does that mean he’s as good as Burrow lol. Comparing one week of a back success to 3 years of being a incredible starter is just terrible analysis.
You think the Bears are a super team or anything close to it?
Fields is 4-1 in his last five starts (with only a three point loss to the Browns, who are playing great). He’s looked better and better and has them playing great football. Look how often top QB picks don’t make it. Trade back, get a bunch of picks and load up.
Burrow, Lawrence, Mayfield, Murray, Young, & Winston. All recent #1 picks that really haven’t proven much. Point is, 1 player can’t correct/fix an entire franchise.
When Joe is on the field, he’s great. But has missed considered time in 2 out of 4 seasons.
I think anyone convinced that Williams is the better than Fields, heck that he is worthy of the #1 pick, are drinking the media spun Koolaid. Williams has a TON of red flags. Fields, you know if flaws and a good OC can get the best out of him. Fields is not a legend, and does not need to be. He just needs to be above average while the Bears continue to build their roster.
Caleb Williams is not guaranteed to succeed in the NFL but the Bears have to take him. His upside is way higher than Justin Fields and the Bears would be able to reset the salary clock for their QB.
Maybe
Spoken like a ‘McCaskey’.
That’s Bears tightwad ownership talk whining about salary clocks and I really hope Poles is not thinking that way. You build the team now, regardless. They tore it down to the screws, they have invested in players for basically the next 4-5 years. You do not then reset your Offense with a ‘maybe’ for the next two to three.
As for Fields ‘salary clock’ If next season Fields shows he is the guy that you think can take you to the SB, then you pay him, if he is not, you let him go. It really is as simple as that. Never mind if the Bears make a trade maybe they wind up with a top 5 pick again next season from a team that was desperate enough to draft a guy like Williams only to stink it up (like Carolina did this season.
Also why to the Bears HAVE to take a guy that is screaming ‘bust’?
You want the Bears to draft a guy literally crying in his mother’s arms after a loss? I mean any really Bears fan remembers Cedric Benson crying on the Draft stage when he was picked, see how that panned out.. No thanks.
“Williams’ prospect status topping those of Young or C.J. Stroud points to the Bears setting a higher price, with ESPN.com adding several execs view the USC talent as being worth two future first-rounders and either a Day 2 pick or a veteran on a reasonable contract.”
If that’s the price to move down to 9 it’s less than they received last year.
Here’s what poles should do:
-trade fields
-draft Caleb
-use their own 1st and the pick(s) acquired from the fields trade to move up for Marvin Harrison Jr
-draft a center in the second
Traded their 2nd
Best possible outcome for the Bears would be for Fields to have cemented himself as a franchise QB. They could then use Carolina’s pick to surround Fields with assets. Not sure how Poles & their FO see it, but Fields upside seems far loftier to me than all the naysayers & statniks. He has really improved imo, despite the play calling & subpar roster he’s had to work with over three tough years. Both DJ Moore & Kmet have had career years, and being the only legit starting pass catchers on the roster, this alone shows Fields is capable of much more if he had more around him.
Bears adding an AllPro type LT, stud WR2, and a legitimately good FA Center to what they have would greatly increase Fields’ production in 2024. Trading down to #2, assuming WAS desperate to take DC native Williams, could net a 2nd, next year’s #1, plus perhaps an expensive, valuable vet (DT Jonathan Allen?). Harrison would be there at #2, then a tackle like Latham at #10 could allow Braxton to move to LG, Jenkins to right. Or, they could again trade #2 (Harrison) to AZ to add more picks this year and next, then take the top lineman at #4 and best WR available with their own 1st. I like this later double trade option personally. Both WAS & AZ’s 2025 or 2026 1sts would be great assets to squirrel away as consolations for passing on Williams and Harrison.
In the end, building around Fields & trading down could allow them to add 4-5 EXTRA 1st and 2nd round picks over the next three seasons, where each has the possibility of being a cheap young starter with pro bowl upside at a position of need. It would also allow flexibility if Fields didn’t continue to improve or got hurt (eg, stocking up for Manning).
This…
The Bears have a lot of holes in their roster still. Moving from Fields, which they know now, to a complete wild card just upsets any progress made already. The main guys signed are only signed for about 3-4 seasons, meaning that you go and draft a QB and you stunt the O back another 1 to 2 years you hurt the progress overall. Sure they save on the QB, but then everyone else’s contract is coming up, so are they really saving anything?
Think it’s a no-brainer to trade the pick again and get players. Bears got four starters out of that trade last year, and all of the people last year were saying take Young who would be doing worse than he is in Carolina since their roster was worse than theirs before that trade. Stroud would have suffered similarly with what Chicago had.
Does anyone actually believe the Bears are any more competent than the Jets at developing QB prospects? If they draft Williams they’ll be looking to replace him after a few seasons too. How many times must a team fail at the merry-go-round before they learn the real carnival side show is them?
Fields may very well be improving – but Im not sold on him being more just “fine”. IMO he isn’t a true franchise QB, but a flashy player who can make a few plays.
His play lately shouldn’t deter the team from trying to get a franchise passer.
He does not have to be a legend, just needs to be above average. No QB in the draft is guaranteed to be better and spare me the ‘but they’ll save money on the salary clock’ argument. Its not worth it to stunt the offense. Fields with this D should be able to win games, plus if instead trade down and you solidify the O line, beef up the D line, and get depth like another stud TE and WR then you have an Offense another QB that is not Fields should be able to slide into to win.
I get it. I understand that argument.
I just think having a franchise passer is the best path to a championship.
I just want to be better than playing for the playoffs.
Im not sure when the Bears will have the opportunity to pick this high again. If it were me, Im taking a shot.
If the Bears trade down correctly they get a guy like MHR and still get a top 5 pick for 2025 (in addition to hopefully a second rounder to replace the one used for Sweat this draft). Lets face it, any team moving up for Williams or Maye are likely not going to great to begin with, and resetting their QB may also mean being miserable like Carolina was this season.Im also leery of any ‘can’t miss’ or guys labelled ‘franchise’ type passers. Ask the Browns about drafting cant miss ‘franchise’ QBs with their high picks.
It doesn’t stop me from trying. Its the most important position in the NFL.
You can even keep Fields in the meantime.
Get that right, and it covers up alot.
With respect to Fields – he needs to much help as opposed to being the reason others improve. He isn’t that guy.
Thats just me. I understand your argument. It even makes some sense. I just would be more aggressive with this opportunity if that guy is there.
I get it, but Bears fans cannot let the absence of a franchise QB in this teams history blind them from the task at hand. The Bears have a lot of holes still especially for the Offense and I don’t see a QB in this draft guaranteed to be better than what the Bears have now in Fields. But the idea of adding weapons and beef up the O line is not just to help Fields, if you give him the talent around him and if it does not work, you can get another QB. You give any QB enough time to throw and the weapons and they’ll likely produce (and often be much cheaper than the QB, for those counting the pennies). You build the team around the QB. Are there generational QB that can make any team look better? Absolutely, but they are rare and in most cases not with the #1 overall pick. Arguably the best QB of all time, Brady, did not sniff the first round (but there have been a TON of ‘bust’ QBs in the first round). Really, the game has and will always begin and end with the O line and the D line. You keep your QB clean and give him time to find his weapons and pretty much any QB will look good especially if you can run the ball; you have a Dline that gets to the QB quickly and you make any defense look good.
Sorry, but I want to see an actual offense around Fields which has not existed for him at all in his tenure with the Bears, and its the less risky move than taking the shiny object that the media has made out to be the second coming.
I absolutely HATE the Bears so I totally don’t have a horse in the race in this situation. But playing these guys twice a year as a Lions fan I’ll say this. Fields could be legit with a few more weapons and a better OL. I just don’t understand all the hype around Caleb Williams! He is not all that accurate and that’s playing with a gob of talent and perfect weather in LA. How you think that’s gonna translate to Soldier Field? I’d keep Fields and trade down to get a bunch more picks. But don’t trade down far enough to lose out on Marvin Jr. You put Marvin with Moore, Herbert, Kmet and whomever else you grab in the draft with an improving defense and you’ve got something there. So as a Lions fan I’m hoping for the opposite! Lol
Exactly, Trojans still lost 5 games with Caleb this year. Then he sits in the bowl game and their backup QB leads the offense without a hitch. Kinda makes you wonder if he’s just a system QB.
Williams screams Bust, I mean like anything nothing is guarenteed but there appear to be a lot of red flags on him. Bears need to trade down and let someone else take that risk. If the Bears play it right they trade this guy to a team and they perform like Carolina did this past season and window up with another top 5 pick for the 2025 draft.
The Bears have a good D, and should get better, especially if the Bears can make some trades and fix some of the other holes still in the roster. If the Bears finish off the Linos and Brows in gmaes this season the Bears could have made the playoffs. That is with a dysfunctional team for the first 4 games of the season as well. They should get better and if things go to plan make the playoffs next season AND still have a top 5 pick for the season after.
Fields has said he hates the cold. I would offer him a modest extension if he declines trade him.
Another thought I have is offer Moore and Fields to the falcons for a 1st and London maybe the bears send a 3rd there also. That would give them the capital to draft Caleb Williams and Marvin harrison.
Bears are so close to competing. Drafting a QB is pushing the contention window back by a year or maybe several years if they draft a bust. Fields ain’t the best, but he’s still winning games with an OL that could still use some upgrades.
Unless Caleb blows up the combine and looks even better than Stroud in drills, I’d trade back. Grab OL, WR, and EDGE with their first 3 or 4 picks. Look at teams like Dolphins, Eagles, and Lions. You can win a lot of games and compete in the playoffs without a top 5 QB. Depth and trenches are just as important.
Wiliams refers to himself as Superman, and was literally crying in his moms arms after a loss (nevermind losing to good defenses this past season). He better put up some insane numbers, like all time great, like shattering previous Combine numbers, for the Bears to draft him.
I agree, trade down to get more picks, hope a few pan out to be top 5s for 25 and get Harrison Jr, maybe us a spare pick from a previous trade to move up in the first round with their pick and get Alt or Fashanu. Don’t get distracted by the shiny objects, get the guys that have majority consensus that are good picks.
Why’s everybody stuck on Marvin Harrison jr? I don’t see a big gap between him odunze and Nabers. Bears could trade down and stock up and get any one of those guys if the miss out on Marvin
MHR are crazy good, and much better ‘lock’ than wasting a pick on Williams. The Bears have tried to get the next best guy before to just have egg on their face.. pass. If MHR is available and you can trade only a couple of spots and still get him, you do it.
How good would you rank Fields without his ability to run ? Take that away and he is very average. I have been very impressed with the Bears defense which was the main reason I won our NFL fantasy this year… Let’s see how he does against the surging Packers on Sunday night… The main problem is I am not convinced on Williams… I believe his back up threw 6 TD passes in the Bowl game. So the question is not how good is Fields , he is mediocre QB with running ability … The question is Caleb Williams a clear number 1 draft pick…?
The answer is no. Mayes would be the pick for me.
Why would you take that away? Is he going to lose his legs or something?
Fields has not been in any sort of decent system until this season (if you can call Getsy ‘run three screens in a row’ a decent system).
What Nagy’s system? Yeah, he is just doing wonders down in KC with Mahomes this year.
Last season when his best receiver was the wrong St. Brown? Yeah, OK.
WEhile it has gotten better, lets see Fields with a Oline that can really, consistently block for 3-4 seconds, and also see what happens with Moore on one side, Harrison Jr on the other, with Kmet (and hopefully another draft stud TE) in the middle or blocking.
I would rather see this experiment than the next tackling dummy QB from this years draft that will look as lost as Fields did last season into this one.
Fields undoubtedly improved this year – but with the astronomical prices being paid for QB contracts nowadays do you really want to find yourself paying $40+ million for a middle of the pack guy? Take the can’t miss prospect and get 5 years of semi-affordable QB play and then use the savings to sign some free agents that can make a difference.
Stop thinking like a McCaskey, they are one of the reasons why the Bears are in the position they are in for the past..forever. Drafting another QB and resetting the clock, means the rebuild is restarting. Any money you ‘save’ by resetting the clock just means you also reset the Offense to possibly being mediocre for another 1-2 seasons (if you hit on the QB that is) by then the guys you signed last season to 3-4 year deals are then also having their hands out again. You save nothing by resetting the clock on the QB..
1-I’m not seeing the improvement. He might be marginally better, but none of the stats stand out. And any improvement is likely 100% due to adding Moore.
2-Why not consider BOTH trading Fields AND trading back. There are a fair amount of non-Williams/Maye QBs out there. As a Raider fan, I wouldn’t pay a huge premium to trade up for Williams instead of drafting a Daniels/Pemix/Nix, etc. type (depending on how far the Bears trade back). So I would assume an inverse logic suggesting the Bears trade back to someone that thinks Williams walks on water.
The improvements are subtle but noticeable;
1. By the end of the year he actually tried to stay in the pocket and look downfield. He finally figured out that running away fast didn’t help the guys trying to block for him.
2. He learned to slide fast and often. He learned that pain follows not sliding and him being injured helps nobody.
3. When he does get flushed, Instead of just running he actually looks downfield and tries to make a play with his arm before running.
4. He’s got much better at calling the pass protections at the line. Most of the line breakdowns were because of Patrick getting run over all the time. I honestly don’t know what they saw in Patrick or why they kept him this year.
5. He still needs work on reading defenses though. But he’s made a slight improvement. When he goes up against a team like Minnesota who blitzed him all the time he doesn’t make the reads fast enough, Like I said needs work.
6. His footwork is much better. when he sets and throws he’s deadly. Unfortunately he has nobody else who can catch it besides Moore. Scott and Mooney dropped so many TD’s they should be in the Guiness Book of World Records. I don’t know how many times Fields put a ball in their hands only to drop it.
He still needs sharpening up, But the major growing pains should be over.
If you move on from Fields, you also reset the Offense. Any guy drafted will likely need at least 1-2 years to get up to speed (that is of course if they do not look like a bust after that time) in which case the whole team needs to reset because the guys they have now will also have their hands out as their contracts will be ending. It make NO sense to move away from Fields. He has shown improvement and if you put more weapons on the roster and beef up the O Line in this years draft/FA season. I would like to see Fields with Moore on one side, MHR on the other, Kmet (and hopefully a stud TE drafted this season) in the middle and blocking.
Even after the loss to GB today, I agree with you, trade down & keep Fields. However, I’d take Alt rather than MHJ, instead adding a WR at #9 or trading down for a different WR like OSU’s Egbuke. A franchise LT is more difficult to find, and I’d also guess that it’s more likely that Poles leans line first.
Yeah, a Oline definitely make everything better, both running game and protecting the QB, it also makes play action more effective.. Alex Brown was pleading with the Bears to find a QB, and why can’t the Bears find one when GB has three in a row (apparently). Briggs had the perfect response: How many seconds did Love have to throw the ball in the games?”
The Packers also find linemen.. I think it helps that the refs apparently revere the Packers as America’s team to the north with all the non calls on holding by those linemen, but its what happens when you get good linemen as well. Its also why drafting another QB that, even if they got the pick right, would likely ruin him by allowing him to be a tackling dummy until they fix the line. The Bears need to trade down. Especially if another team like Carolina gives up the farm for the pick, like 1 and 2 rounder this draft and 2025 only to see that team stink it up like Carolina did this season so they get a high rounder the season after next. I mean its the Bears, I can see them drafting someone like Williams only to see him bust and then all of these ‘fans’ clamoring for him will have amnesia and ask how the Bears could have been stupid?