You could say Justin Fields developed a knack for rushing the football last season.
The sophomore quarterback became the third quarterback in history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season, joining Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson. He also set NFL records for the longest touchdown run for a quarterback (67 yards) and the most quarterback rushing yards in a single game (178 yards).
Pretty substantial.
How will Luke Getsy incorporate Fields' rushing ability into the offense next season, considering the Bears finished with the 10th-worst offense in the league?
“It’s got to be a part of who you are, [but] in the NFL, it’s hard for it to be who you are — you just don’t last,” Getsy said to the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s got to be a part of us and he’s really, really good at it. He’s really good at a lot of things. So we’ve got to make sure we just tap into each one of those things, but [running], for sure, has to be a part of who we are going forward.”
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The Bears had their reasons to run Fields into the ground, literally. The team didn't possess the necessary skill players, or offensive line to create a successful offense through the air. Even with Fields carrying the team on his back, the Bears finished as the 23rd-best offense in football.
It's no secret today's NFL requires a successful passing game to generate points. Six of the top 10 offenses in the league also ranked in the top 10 best passing offenses. They were also the same ones who ended up in the postseason.
Next season, however, a much-expected revamp of the roster should give Fields the tools to use his arm predominantly, instead of his legs, to create offense. Fields doesn't aspire to be the team's designated workhorse next season. He said it himself.
"I don't plan on rushing for 1,000 yards every year," Fields said after the Bears-Eagles regular season game, where he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark.
Getsy will be pegged with creating a new offense next season, using Fields' legs along with his big arm, as he alluded to. As he demonstrated in college, Fields can throw the ball fairly far downfield, and maintain accuracy while doing so.
The Bears are privy to his skillset. It's one of the reasons they traded for Chase Claypool at the deadline. Claypool is a deep ball threat at heart and possesses the speed and body type necessary to exploit potential from that strategy. Despite the blatant overpay for the receiver, the effort is posed to support Fields' style.
The question is – can Getsy and the Bears create the right formula for Fields and the offense?
First, they have to retool their roster. More to come on that this offseason.