The Bears can either trade the first overall pick and keep quarterback Justin Fields, or they can trade Fields and keep the pick. Based on the various things said at the Scouting Combine on Tuesday by G.M. Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus, it seems like the Bears are thinking seriously about moving on from Fields.
Poles, in the embedded interviews, said Fields need to improve when it comes to passing from the pocket and when performing in two-minute situations. Eberflus said the Bears need their quarterback to perform in third down, two-minute and the end of the game situations.
Those comments can be interpreted as a belief that Fields has limitations that won’t be resolved with more reps and games in Chicago.
If the Bears were planning to keep Fields, they could say so — and still trade the pick. Multiple teams presumably would be interested in moving up to No. 1 in order to get quarterback Caleb Williams, even if the Bears made it clear that they’re keeping Fields.
And it’s becoming very clear that Williams is unquestionably the top prospect in the current draft class.
The fact that the Bears won’t say they’re keeping Fields points to a potential plan to trade him. And if that’s what they’re doing, they need to do it quickly.
Teams interested in adding a veteran quarterback will have various opportunities to do so, when the league year opens. The longer the Bears wait to trade Fields, the harder it will be to get maximum value for him.
It’s unclear what they will get for Fields, or what they want for him. Whoever trades for Fields also will have to be ready to sign him to a new contract.
One league source suggested on Tuesday that the Bears should be looking for a second-round pick in 2024 and a conditional pick in 2025, based on his performance this season.
Ultimately, it comes down to the number of teams chasing Fields, and their willingness to make a significant offer to get him.
However it plays out, it currently looks like the Bears are looking to trade Fields and to draft Williams.