The Chicago Bears have an awfully difficult decision to make at quarterback in the coming months: To keep Justin Fields or not to keep Justin Fields?
Chicago owns the Carolina Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick thanks to the Bryce Young trade, and the Panthers are football’s worst team at 1-12. Every other club has at least three wins, so the Bears are likely to obtain the first overall pick in 2024.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports spoke to multiple NFL GMs to get their takes on what the Bears should do with the quarterback situation next year. One AFC GM told Robinson that it’s a no-brainer to take USC QB Caleb Williams:
“It would be a clear-cut decision to draft Caleb for me. The fact that we’re in Year 3 and [they] don’t want to exercise the fifth-year option tells me what I need to know. I just don’t think Fields can win consistently as a passer, even though he is gifted physically.”
One NFC GM admitted they have “worries” about Williams, but think Chicago should draft him since they’ll save money on his rookie deal as opposed to having to pay up Fields. Another AFC team added they should take Williams after passing on C.J. Stroud:
“When you pass on talented quarterbacks to lean into a guy’s development, which the Bears did when they traded No. 1 last year, you have to be completely sure of that decision to do it a second time. They might not have taken C.J. Stroud with the first pick last [offseason], but he was there for them to do it. Caleb Williams is a no-brainer, and if they get the top pick, he’s there for them. Sometimes the gamble is continuing to pass on players. Fields doesn’t get over the hump, you don’t want to be the guys that passed on both Stroud and Caleb Williams.”
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Another NFC GM gave the following take:
“Nobody wants to be judged or fired because they didn’t make the previous guy’s draft picks work. Especially quarterback and head coach — if it’s not working out or it’s lagging, you should get an opportunity at changing it your way. Quarterbacks and head coaches are so much of your culture, so it’s kind of hard when you didn’t put those pieces in place and you’re taking the hits anyway.”
Fields is piecing together the best season of his three-year career thus far. Needless to say, a strong finish would go a long way in helping hi chances of buying a fourth year in the Windy City.
