The one Bear who has played with more elite quarterbacks than anyone else is certainly Jimmy Graham. He’s caught passes from Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. That’s two shoo-in Hall of Famers in Brees and Rodgers, and another who’s got a strong case to be enshrined in Canton in Wilson.
So Graham is a pretty good guy to ask if he thinks Justin Fields has elite qualities.
“He definitely does,” Graham said. “I’ve seen it for more than a decade now and he definitely has those attributes. He has that ability to be able to torque his body and get leverage and speed through it, even when he’s running to the right.”
Graham was on the receiving end for arguably Fields’ most spectacular throw of the season: a 28-yarder down the seam, between two converging defensive backs, and with the pass rush barreling down on him.
“Unbelievable read there, and pass,” Graham said. “He saw the safety was a bit cheated over on the hash and he gave me a ball that really kept me safe. That’s what is so unbelievable about it. A lot of younger guys would then try to bend you in a little bit. But it was just a perfect pass, man. It was unbelievable.”
Outside that one incredible play, Graham listed off other attributes he sees in Fields that go into the makings of an elite QB.
“The way he can spin the ball. The last few weeks you’ve even seen him on the move with some really impressive throws going left, which a lot of quarterbacks struggle throwing that way. That’s extremely impressive.
“The kid has so much talent. He has a lot of upside and it’s fun to see the growth.”
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