The future of Justin Fields

[dr morbius]

For some time now, the expectation around the NFL has been that the Bears would use the #1 overall draft pick to select Caleb Williams, and trade Justin Fields, most likely for a day two pick (2nd or 3rd round). But recently the market for Fields appears to have softened, and today the New England Patriots traded Mac Jones to Jacksonville for - get this - a 6th round pick.

Now, there's an argument to be made that Justin Fields is objectively better than Mac Jones. After a very good rookie season in which he threw for 3800 yards, Jones has gotten progressively worse and is a start-over project for the Jaguars. Fields has shown better numbers every season and many observers, myself included, think he might be pretty good if he ever takes a field with a full decent offensive line and three receivers. But Fields is not, according to the numbers, a whole lot better than Jones and so it's beginning to look like the best the Bears can hope to get in a trade right now is a 5th rounder.

I think Justin Fields has what they call a very high ceiling, meaning if he realizes his potential, he can be a really good player. I think the Bears have prevented him from reaching that ceiling, with a first season behind a horrid line with no receivers and a poor coach, and a second season intentionally tanked, and a third season with one receiver and half the year with a banged up line. Pretty much everyone with the team has to agree that he's worth more than a 5th rounder. So the question now is, what to do?

One option is to hang onto Fields for now, and wait. If a quarterback gets injured in the early going in 2024, which is far more likely than not, his value may increase. If the Bears do decide to hang onto him for a season and have Caleb watch and learn, AND the Bears do as expected and improve their center position through free agency and draft a stud receiver, Fields might blossom into a superstar. At the least, they would know for sure he's not the guy if they finally give him the tools to win and he fails. The only other option I see is to suck it up, take the 5th rounder, and move on.

 

[Silversage]

Who cares?
This is a cooking site, not a football site

 

[dr morbius]

I see. I will leave your site. Sorry to infect you.

 

[taxlady]

I see. I will leave your site. Sorry to infect you.

Oh please. Don't over react. No one said go away. Someone just expressed the opinion "who cares?" Does that mean that you don't want to be here if not every person here cares about every single thing you write? Don't be so sensitive.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Who cares?
This is a cooking site, not a football site

Well obviously you don't, but this is posted in the "Off Topic Discussions" section. Unless the algorithm made you read this thread before you could read anything food related, just ignore it.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...Now, there's an argument to be made that Justin Fields is objectively better than Mac Jones...

We watched Mac Jones while we lived in MA. He looked weak. His press conferences after games seemed to be "I have to be better" and that was it. But he didn't have much of a line, so it's hard to gain confidence when you're afraid that you'll be throwing from your back. We hope for good things for Justin Fields because Himself is an alum of THE Ohio State University.

Now how about that Baker Mayfield contract? Good for him. I have no hard feelings for him. Thought he could have been better for the Browns, but somewhere along the line they got it wrong. Maybe making him play with the bad shoulder? Or did he (and/or his agent) insist on playing?

 

[Kathleen]

I'm happy for Baker. I felt that he, like Justin, was cast aside too soon. In Justin's case, I believe that Chicago will be kicking themselves for years to come. I had been watching Justin since he was in college and had wished he could go to the Bears, and was euphorically optimistic when we got him! It matters not who the Bears get at this point if they cannot line out their coaching. They have talented people, but even Justin would say that he was not coached sufficiently.

It is a team effort. But the Bears cast aside a rising star.

 

[caseydog]

I'm happy for Baker. I felt that he, like Justin, was cast aside too soon. In Justin's case, I believe that Chicago will be kicking themselves for years to come. I had been watching Justin since he was in college and had wished he could go to the Bears, and was euphorically optimistic when we got him! It matters not who the Bears get at this point if they cannot line out their coaching. They have talented people, but even Justin would say that he was not coached sufficiently.

It is a team effort. But the Bears cast aside a rising star.

Despite the fact he played for ohio state, as a Steelers fan I think he was a good acquisition. I think he was pushed into being a starter at Chicago before he was ready. At Pittsburgh, he will get good coaching, and get to play behind a Veteran QB. He has good physical talent, he just needs to develop his mental abilities to match is physical abilities.

CD

 

[Kathleen]

Despite the fact he played for ohio state, as a Steelers fan I think he was a good acquisition. I think he was pushed into being a starter at Chicago before he was ready. At Pittsburgh, he will get good coaching, and get to play behind a Veteran QB. He has good physical talent, he just needs to develop his mental abilities to match is physical abilities.

CD

In my opinion, you have already won in the post-season including the draft.

 

[blissful]

Oh please. Don't over react. No one said go away. Someone just expressed the opinion "who cares?" Does that mean that you don't want to be here if not every person here cares about every single thing you write? Don't be so sensitive.

I thought the comment wasn't the nicest.
Chalk it up to the commenter's issue.
(not the OP's)
The world would be a lot nicer if there were more sensitive people around.

 

[caseydog]

Oh please. Don't over react. No one said go away. Someone just expressed the opinion "who cares?" Does that mean that you don't want to be here if not every person here cares about every single thing you write? Don't be so sensitive.

The same poster said "This is a cooking site, not a football site." This thread is in the "Off Topic" section of DC. I agree with CookingGoddess, if you don't care about football, ignore it.

CD (THE University of North Texas alum)

 

[taxlady]

I don't care much about football, but if I don't want to see the football stuff, I don't have to. Also, I'm not going to leave a site just because one person doesn't care about something I write and says so.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...CD (THE University of North Texas alum)

I see what you did there, @caseydog.

 

[caseydog]

In my opinion, you have already won in the post-season including the draft.

I'm not 100% sure what you mean, but the Steelers have done quite well in free-agent acquisitions and trades in the last few weeks. They practically stole Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Patrick Queen coming over from the Ratbirds is a nice acquisition, too.

They will need one more QB, but they can get a third string QB in the late rounds of the draft.

CD

 

[Kathleen]

I am saying that I feel the Steelers scored big time with Justin. I truly believe Justin will end up being what the Bears wish they had. I feel Bears fans will completely regret his loss.

 

[caseydog]

I see what you did there, @caseydog.

UNT did produce at least one notable football player, who went on to become a Steeler...

BTW, a little trivia, the UNT athletic teams are called the Mean Green Eagles. That's how he got his nickname.

CD