The Bears’ journey to determining their 2024 starting quarterback continues. After the team reached an agreement to trade the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers before free agency started last year, fans should be on the lookout for a Justin Fields move soon. The Bears trading their three-year starter and keeping the pick remains the likely path, but they have not yet committed one way or another here.
It would surprise to see Chicago trade the top pick for a second straight year, given the buzz Caleb Williams has generated as a prospect. The team could, however, fetch more in a trade for that draft pick than it could obtain in a Fields swap. That adds intrigue to the team’s decision, with contractual matters a key factor as well.
“I’m a supporter of Justin because I got a chance to work with him when I was commissioner of the Big Ten conference,” Bears president Kevin Warren said during a WGN interview (via NBC Sports Chicago). “He is incredibly talented. He is smart. He works hard. And he wants to be a great NFL football player. And now he just needs to make sure he has the support around him.
“… Justin has a rare combination of intelligence, of size, of strength and speed. You forget how big of a man he is until you’re up on him. He’s not a small man. I just think every year he’s going to continually get better.”
Warren, who initially observed Fields during his two-year run as Ohio State’s starter, represents an important part of this process. Although GM Ryan Poles runs the Bears’ front office, Warren serves as the bridge between ownership and the team’s football ops. Poles said last month the Bears were in a unique situation with regards to their quarterback decision. It is not known how much input Warren will provide the third-year GM on this front. Given Poles’ job description, any pushback from the second-year president would be notable.
“One of the things about Ryan and I’s working relationship is the fact that we’re in this together,” Warren said. “I know he’s spending every single day thinking about not only that decision but also who to draft at No. 9 and our current roster and what we’re gonna do in free agency, what we’re doing from a contract negotiation standpoint. I’m sure he’s already starting to play out the draft in his mind.
“I look forward to going to the Combine here later this month and then getting the chance to spend some time together because we’re in a very, very unique space in time in the Bears.”
The Bears hired Warren in January 2023, bringing him in a year after hiring Poles and HC Matt Eberflus. While Warren was initially described as a strictly business-side addition, rumblings about the former Lions and Vikings exec playing a part on the football side emerged. Warren did not shake up the Poles-Eberflus partnership this offseason, and the former Big Ten commissioner is believed to have a good relationship with the team’s GM. It would be fascinating if the two power brokers disagreed regarding this seminal decision, but nothing on that front has surfaced during the Bears’ latest will-they/won’t-they saga associated with trading a No. 1 overall pick.
This franchise has not made a No. 1 overall draft choice since 1947, and a weekend report indicated it would take a “historic haul” for a team to pry this year’s top choice from the Bears. Chicago punted on drafting Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson last year. Poles made Fields his offseason centerpiece. Though Poles did not draft Fields, his 2023 offseason choice will matter. With the Bears having secured the top pick once again — thanks to the Panthers’ 2-15 season — Poles has another chance.
A few teams are in need at quarterback but lack a top-three pick. The Falcons (No. 8), Broncos (No. 12) and Raiders (No. 13) are the three that do not currently have exclusive negotiating rights with a starter-caliber option (Russell Wilson‘s status notwithstanding; he remains on track to be released); the Vikings (No. 11) and Buccaneers (No. 26) do. Leading up to last year’s free agency, Poles engaged in talks with a few teams — most notably discussing a three-team deal with Houston and Carolina — before dealing the pick to the Panthers.
The Bears are weighing Fields’ trajectory and upcoming fifth-year option price against what a future with Williams — the 2022 Heisman winner who has been the clubhouse leader to go No. 1 overall for over a year — would bring. The USC product being on a rookie contract for at least three years would naturally appeal to the Bears, who could fetch at least one Day 2 pick — perhaps more, given the needs of the above-referenced teams — for Fields.
A scenario in which the Bears draft a quarterback at 1 and keep Fields also surfaced as an option recently, but this has long looked like an either/or situation. Warren’s pro-Fields comments should be expected at this juncture, but this remains a central 2024 NFL storyline to follow.
Chicago’s in a great position. The residual effect from that trade last year w/ CAR could be a franchise altering deal.
The 3rd most draft capital in the league, a bunch of you young talent already on the roster and AT LEAST two 1sts in this talent heavy draft.
It’s gonna be a fun, potentially crazy couple of months for Bears fans.
” Kevin Warren addresses Justin Fields status”
Huh? He didn’t say anything that really addressed his status. It was just more stutter speak that we’ve grown accustomed to. Addressing his status would be saying hey we’re trading him or hey, we’re keeping him and keep building the team the right way. This was more of the same pablum we’ve been fed for 3 years. In a more interesting development the less surprising move was they they got rid of Whitehair and Jackson which were no brainers.
Of course it’s more stutter speak. The Bears tipping their hand by saying they are trading Fields immediately drives his trade value down. A team like the Falcons or Steelers that may be willing to give a 2nd round pick immediately lower their offer because you’ve said you are going to trade him.
Then why say anything? And better yet why say you’re going to say something and then not say anything? Only the Bears.
Kevin Warren: “I know Unclemike is watching so let me just say that I’m as clueless as everyone else in the Bears organization but I was sent out here to fake it”.
Do you see the Patriots commenting on Mac Jones? How about the Jets and Zach Wilson. Ownership doesn’t even say his name. I think Woody Johnson called him the backup.
I didn’t see anybody on the Patriots hold a press conference to say they’re addressing Mac Jones status and then babble for an hour either.
The Bears are the best team picking in the top 10 (with 2 picks) Surely they can’t screw this up right?
Even a broken clock gets it right twice a day.
The best team in the top 10 of the draft? Hardly. Bears a joke with no punchline, and have been for decades. Their team is absolutely garbage and they have nobody of value. The most they can get for fields is probably a 4th rounder, he’s trash.
This is the best evidence for why they’re going to do it again. Not to mention that Washington very well could be bad enough to give them the #1 pick again next year. It’s telling that he mentioned size too when bringing him up.
If I’m one of the top 2 QB’s in this draft (Williams and Maye), I’m hoping that the Bears trade the pick and stay with Fields. Why? Name one QB the Bears have drafted and cultivated into a top 5 QB in their history? No, McMahon was NOT a top QB, he was a game manager who never had to win the game by himself, but rather had histories #1 defense and arguably the best RB in Payton to ever play the position.
In addition, they play in a climate that is not conducive to a QB, and have a recent history of bad coaching and management. No, if I’m those guys I’m praying a team like the Steelers trades up for me.
climate… lol
Because the climate is so much warmer in Pittsburgh?
National media keeps pushing this insane Steelers link. Look, no matter how much Tomlin liked Fields at OSU, the mission here is to save face and give Pickett yet another year. How bringing in Fields—a better athlete and yes, a better QB—would accomplish that is a mystery. Fields is younger than Pickett, to boot
I could see them bringing in a Wilson or Cousins to kick the can down the road a while. A starter at the end of his career takes charge while Pickett does a Jordan Love impression for a couple seasons and “matures”
But they’ve committed to saving face. They’ll likely bring in a Tannehill type as a back up so Kenny, heaven forbid, feels any stress like Rudolph provided down the stretch
Mediocrity. Better than .500 seasons. It’s the new Steelers mantra
Dak Prescott for Fields and the first overall pick?
Yes I am just clowning.
Yeah, both are bottom tier QBs.
JaMarcus Russel was a big man. Bigger than Fields. Not sure what being a “big man” has to do with predicting success at the QB position. This sounds like an executive trying to spin a situation, but at a loss for how to do so.
They’re going to keep him. When they brought Eberflus back, it was pretty much set in stone.
Let’s hope the steelers don’t pull the plug and trade for this guy. Besides he’s only worth a 3rd round pick.
I don’t care what people say, it takes a qb at least 3 years to mature.
Yea they say, well look at Purdy. Well he’s a product of a system and he’s surrounded by all pros. Give Pickett this year under a new OC. If he fails, then you can say bust
I said my peace, above, but Pickett isn’t the answer and never will be. And it pains me to say it because I supported his selection. 24 starts in have been enough
But you’ll undoubtedly get your wish.
Purdy was a 4 year college guy who was essentially ready year 1, which is rare.
” Purdy is the product of a system and he’s surrounded by All Pros”. That’s exactly been my point. Trade the pick down. Get more assets. draft the real best player in the draft at 2 or 3 in Harrison. Trade down a bit also at 9. Get mor assets. Get an OT and fortify the OL. Draft interior OL with the added assets. Get the” All Pros to surround a QB FIRST, Then worry about the QB. You still have one cheap year of Fields. Use it.
Yeah overall I think it makes better football sense. If the Bears pass on Williams, but make their team better overall, that is better for the team. Regardless of what Williams does or does not do (likely the latter BTW) If Poles makes the right trades and gets a first rounder (or more 1st rounders) from a team (or teams) who then have a horrible season next year, he has another at least one additional 1st rounder in his back pocket for the next draft, which he can either use for a guy they, not the swooning fans of Williams, know nothing analysts, or ex GMs/players, want for their org. AND they have a stud team around the QB (whether its Fields or someone else).
However, If Williams or another QB they draft busts out, Poles will be gone in about 1 season. Busted 1st round QBs wreck your org worse than anything Fields sticking around could do. Ask the Browns or their fans about that.
If the Bears stand pat and take Williams, then it is what it is, and I hope he works out, and Ill be the first to come here and say I was wrong about him, but he has a lot of red flags, and was successful, in college; the NFL defenses are a different beast ask most ‘cant miss’ college QBs who busted about that. I just see it make more sense that they trade down, and really ensure this team has its great players and depth, both of which have been absent over the past 10 seasons. Then, with their extra picks in the 25 draft, stand pat, or trade up and get that QB they want if Fields is not the guy.
It’s probably nothing, but there is at least a slight chance that Warren is serious. I don’t see this being helpful.