The Bears have seemingly decided to trade quarterback Justin Fields and draft Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. There’s no specific team that screams out at his next destination.
The chatter might continue to be a whisper after the Patriots got only a sixth-round pick for Mac Jones, who like Fields was taken in the top half of the first round of the 2021 draft.
Although they’re two different players and Fields has played at a much higher level, the low bar for a three-year starter who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie suggests that the Bears won’t end up getting a massive return for Fields.
The compensation will be driven by the perceived value. If someone saw Jones as a potential starter, the Patriots would have gotten more. Does someone view Fields as a potential starter?
Surely, someone does. The problem is that, in this nutty year of free agency, there are too many quarterbacks available for no trade compensation. The game of musical chairs needs to play out a bit before someone will pull the trigger on a deal for Fields.
Even then, teams with needs might just wait until the draft. The sweet spot to trade Fields could be after round one ends, if a team targeting a quarterback doesn’t get one.
That’s a huge risk for Chicago. One that could end up with both Williams and Fields on the team as offseason workouts get rolling. Which could prompt the Bears to decide to keep Fields around until injuries create a demand.
Based on last year, that’s a safer bet than it has been — especially if the trade deadline gets bumped from Week 8 to Week 10. And at only $3.2 million in total compensation for 2024, the Bears can easily afford to keep both Fields and Williams until opportunity finally knocks.
