The Chicago Bears find themselves at a crossroads this offseason with a challenging decision: retain or part ways with quarterback Justin Fields?
Fields, the 2021 first-round pick, is currently showcasing the best football of his career, embodying the promising star that Chicago envisioned when drafting him three years ago. Under typical circumstances, retaining and building around such a talented QB would be a straightforward decision.
RELATED: NFL Insider Benjamin Allbright Expects the Bears to Move On From Justin Fields
However, a complicating factor arises as the Bears possess the first overall pick in this year’s draft, acquired through last year’s trade with the Carolina Panthers for Bryce Young. This presents an opportunity for Chicago to draft another highly touted quarterback like USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye, securing their services on a cost-effective rookie deal for a minimum of four years.
In the event the Bears decide to trade Fields, there’s speculation about the potential return for the Ohio State product. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin, industry executives polled believe that Fields, in a pre-draft trade, could fetch a second- or third-round draft pick. Comparatively, this valuation places him ahead of Trey Lance, acquired by Dallas from San Francisco for a fourth-round pick, but slightly below Sam Darnold, who moved from the Jets to Carolina for second- and fourth-rounders.
The consensus in an informal poll of league evaluators is that Fields would be worth a second- or third-round pick in a pre-draft trade. When compared to former top-10 picks recently traded, that’s better than Trey Lance, whom Dallas acquired from San Francisco for a fourth-round pick, but slightly worse than Sam Darnold, who, along with a sixth-round pick, went from the Jets to Carolina for second- and fourth-rounders.
Fields, unlike Lance with limited starts, boasts valuable playing experience, and unlike Darnold, he has shown glimpses of burgeoning into a future superstar. A second or third-round pick seems reasonable should the Bears opt to trade Fields and select another quarterback with the top overall pick.
The ongoing saga surrounding Justin Fields might be wearing thin for Bears fans who are yearning for stability at the quarterback position, a luxury they have not frequently enjoyed. In any case, General Manager Ryan Poles and Head Coach Matt Eberflus find themselves with a myriad of options to consider.
