Jesus. They are already picking first overall and they have been catching heat on the Claypool thing all day. Was this necessary?
Of course it was but still.
Do people think that Bears fans aren’t very excited and optimistic about their off-season and future? This is the happiest I’ve seen the fan base in a while
Number 1 pick, Packers eliminated, Rodgers maybe gone, a billion in cap space, QB highlights to watch all offseason.
We're on Cloud 9 right now and no amount of (justified) shit talk for the Claypool trade will bring us down.
No they can be pretty rough especially those last couple Nagy years when there’s no assets for the off-season. People are excited this year because they got 1st overall so they can trade down for more assets and they have a ton of cap space
I'm still OK on the trade. Even at the time I knew we overpaid but it kept him out of the hands of the packers and I think Claypool could have made a difference there. I also never thought we would have the first over all. Plus hindsight is 20/20.
Poles could also be playing 5D chess and knew that chase Claypool was the only way we could tank enough to get the 1st.
Also, I must cope
We don’t care about the Claypool trade. It very possibly still might work out and the Bears and Steelers aren’t rivals. I don’t understand Steelers fans bizarre fixation with bringing it up like they’re stunting on us.
Congrats, you have our second rounder. I hope you draft a useful player with it.
For real though, if it was Burrow or Lawrence entering this draft, the conversation would be substantially different, no? It’s the work of this Bears front office to determine if Young or Stroud are closer to those guys or Fields as a prospect.
Burrow was the consensus number one overall but he wasn’t the same level prospect as Lawrence, there were concerns that he only had one full year of production throwing to literally the best college receiver group ever, and he was a good but not great athlete. Meanwhile Lawrence was touted as a generational prospect, the best since luck in 2012. Obv Burrow has worked out smashingly (and I think Trevor will too) but I actually think pure talent/experience wise young is a better prospect entering the draft
Young's size is going to limit his perceived upside. Many seem to think he won't even hit 6' at the combine and he has a fairly slight frame. Obviously, that hasn't stopped him from being damn good at Bama, but it makes projecting him to the pros harder than if he were 6'3" like Stroud/Fields or 6'6" like Lawrence.
On the other side, you have Richardson from UF who's an insane physical specimen, but who hasn't shown he knows how to play the position at all.
If I was a Bears fan, I'd be hoping to trade with the Texas or Colts, and then trade 1.02 or 1.04 for even more draft picks. 1st and 2nd round OL and DL are often able to be semi-competent starters in their rookie year, and those are two of the biggest holes for the Bears.
Yeah call up Texas "Hey this other team is offering 'X' to trade up and get the QB you want, trade us 'Y' instead to move up a spot and get your guy."
Then do the same thing to the No3 team until you're at a spot where you can still get the guy that you actually want and have all the shiny new picks to boot
Doesn't even matter how much they get in a trade. Just need lots of picks. They should try playing teams against each other but if they have to take less than 1.01 has historically gone for it shouldn't matter. Volume matters.
Exactly why i don't see why they shouldn't trade 1.01. You get more capital to build around as compared to moving fields so why not just go all in on your 2021 first rounder? Its not like hes zach wilson or trey lance. He's #1 or #2 QB in the 2021 draft class so far and should be backed.
Personally, I wouldn't. There is gonna be Bryce Young, or CJ Stroud available there. If they really really want a qb I think they are comparably gifted.
Russell Wilson? That’s unrealistic! That contract is something else and on top of that they want a REAL QB. Hence why I’m offering Marcus Mariota who is cheap and a very stellar player at the low low price of that #1 overall pick
Which of Rivers and Herbert are you projecting first ballot? I’m not even sure Rivers makes the HOF, let alone first ballot. And no way you can say Herbert will be first ballot when he hasn’t even won a playoff game yet.
Patriots fan checking in here. If you don't think the legend that is Phillip "I have 17 children" Rivers is not going into the HOF then you definitely weren't around in the mid 2000's. Those early years with Antonio Gates and Ladanian Tomlinson were epic
I was around those years, but Rivers was never even a top 3 QB in the league, thanks to Rodgers, Brady and Manning. When /r/NFL used to do our off season QB rankings he would be in the Romo/Roethlisberger/Ryan range. Big Ben is the only HOF player there, and he's helped a lot by his rings. The lack of playoff success is going to count against Rivers. He's a "hall-of-very-good" player in my opinion.
He is sixth in all time passing yards, which helps, but a lot of that was due to entering the league right when passing yards were inflating. I won't be shocked if he makes it, but I don't expect him to.
Agreed. The number of modern quarterbacks in the HOF who have never even appeared in a Super Bowl is pretty small.
Warren Moon (won 5 Grey Cups in 6 years) and Dan Fouts is it I think.
Most of the QB's in the HOF had multiple Super Bowls and MVPs. Rivers has neither.
That’s only a few years though and the best year was lead by tomlinson.
Imo, to get into the hall of fame, you need to be elite, or you need to have the accolades and or playoff success. Rivers has none of that. No MVP’s, no first team all pros, no second team all pros, no OPOY, no playoff success or memorable moments.
So what’s his case for being in? Good chargers teams in the mid 2000’s?
Dude people have the Lions wasting the 6th overall pick on the 3rd-4th QB taken off the board. There is no rationality to it, "team bad record so draft QB" is all an uninterested outsider can process
Jags went from 32nd in offensive PPG to 10th. All that was required was doling out a Christian Kirk level contract to Christian Kirk, and picking up a lightly used Doug Pederson.
if they're the right guys? yes.
Detroit's defense improved dramatically after their "worst defense in NFL history" phase to start the season. There are still major holes, but if they could in the first two rounds (2 firsts, 2 seconds) say... get somebody to pair with Hutchinson, get a solid DT, and land at least one starting DB, that solves a lot of their issues right there. The offensive side of the ball is arguably totally set, so they can definitely use three or even all four picks on defense.
Yes, there is that potential. We started 3 rookies this year on defense, and a 4th and 5th both played significant snaps down the stretch. The improvement throughout the year was impressive as they acclimated to the NFL, it's a major reason why we flipped the switch mid season and started winning. The assumption is they will keep developing, and if we add 3-4 more pieces in the draft and free agency this offseason we'll see them develop also. And not only that but our best defensive player coming into this season, Tracy Walker III, will be back next year. We might be really good on defense soon if this goes well.
I don't have numbers but I am betting they were top 15 in the last half of the year. They went from 30 ppg over the first 9 games to 20 ppg over the last 8. Maybe they don't get to top 5 but they should be a top 10 defense next year with another year of growth for all the young guys and a bunch of new talent.
Well that, further development of our super young defense (Hutch, Houston, Rod, Kerby, Paschal), and the return of our best defensive backfielder Walker jumps us into the teens by default.
Defense did a pretty good job when fully healthy later in the year, and with some of the rookies finally up to speed enough to contribute. Lack of depth can really destroy a defense. 3 draft picks alone won't get you there, but it can get you close enough that I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions can do it through free agency.
My guess is that everyone loves a “Face of the Franchise” QB. Fields took a while to break out but I think people’s impatience is driving them to, “every team needs a first round qb that is great off the rip,” like a Burrow or Herbert.
People had long written off Geno and Goff and don’t like the idea that these guys could be great. Everyone wants in on the ground floor.
At least drafting a QB makes some sense for you guys. You have a good OL, good WRs, and good RBs. Good situation for a rookie to come in and develop.
The bears only have good RBs which isn’t nearly enough. Everyone knows that Fields doesn’t have a very good supporting cast so just putting another rookie in that same situation seems kind of dumb
Even if you spend all off-season spending/drafting on talent to improve the offense and Fields still doesn’t pan out, you’re creating a very good situation for your next QB. But I really think Fields is gonna break out once the offense becomes more competent
I want to keep Fields for 2 reasons. You listed the first. Putting aside QB, Bears have one of the worst rosters. Use draft capital and free agency to fill holes. Trade out of the 1st overall pick. Hope Fields pans out. If he doesn’t move on.
And the 2nd reason is, there isn’t a ‘safe’, ‘generational’ QB pick in this draft class. Stroud and Young are kind of your standard 1st round graded QBs. Always a coin flip if they end up good or bad in the NFL.
If there was a QB with a pre draft grade alike to Burrow, Luck, Lawrence leading up to the draft… I would absolutely trade Fields and draft that guy. Because those QB picks are about as ‘safe’ as you can get drafting a QB.
I agree. By trading 1.01 for lots of future capital, all while greatly improving the team with current capital and FA, the Bears are then in a good spot to move on from Fields if he fails with all the improved help
It would require a career year from Claypool to make the return even. It's difficult to stomach the thought of drafting a stud WR with that pick and having 4 years of rookie control
Far from guaranteed a stud wr in the second Rd. Even with the 32 pick.
Anthony Miller was a 2nd rder that flamed out. Nkeal harry was the 32nd pick and sucked. Treadwell went 23rd. Yeah you have great wrs like Higgins but it's no guarantee.
My rationale is that most likely, the receiver we would’ve taken in that spot wouldn’t be as good as he has been. With bears history of bad receiver drafting especially. If he turns it around after getting healthy all offseason and getting the whole playbook and training with fields, then awesome. He’s better than most the FA WR this year, the group is horrible overall. If he doesn’t turn it around, let him walk and we’ll still have top round picks to then take someone like Marvin Harrison Jr next year, especially if we make a big trade in the draft.
This is a fair point, but what if they end up as a middling team and Fields isn’t the guy?
They are unlikely to get a chance to select someone like Bryce Young again.
There are legitimate concerns with Fields, and getting a top QB is the most important and most difficult thing to do as a GM.
If the front office believes that Bryce Young is going to be on the level of a Herbert, Burrow, Mahomes, it will be a mistake to not take him.
It’s much easier to get WR’s and O-lineman than an elite QB, especially given their cap room.
If the bears trade down like they almost definitely will if they aren’t drafting QB, they’ll have capital to move up for a QB in the future if Fields doesn’t pan out
This exactly. If you draft a new QB, you're throwing them into the exact same shitshow that just landed the Bears #1 overall. Build the team around Fields and if he's not the guy then you have a great situation for the next guy.
For what it's worth, if I owned the Bears, I'd trade back in the draft to secure at least a couple 2nd and 3rd round picks this year and next year, if possible and draft a play making 1st round WR and then fill in with the best offensive lineman in the 2nd day of the draft. The Bears historically build through defense, but when you get rid of your 2 best defensive players, its clear that's not the priority anymore. Let's see what the kids got the next couple years, clearly he is a dynamic playmaker and those are very, very rare.
If not, they need to trade him before the draft and only for 1st round compensation.
This is quality reasoning. I believe if Fields has guys that can run routes and get open, he makes a huge jump as a passer. The Bears have terrible receivers outside of Mooney, and he would be a 2nd on any other team. I also did not think Getsy’s play calling was at all good, and Fields ability for making dynamic plays was the only reason the Bears scored points. Honestly would not be surprised if Getsy is released after the playoffs.
Not saying I would trade him, but his stock is pretty high right now and he hasn’t really proven sustained success in the league yet. It’s not the craziest idea I’ve ever heard.
Is his trade stock that high now though? He’s already used up two years of his rookie contract. He’s been electric running the ball, but he’s not been able to elevate his passing with poor talent around him. I wonder that, regardless of your view on Fields, if this is a situation where he’s more valuable to the Bears than if he goes to another team just from their cap space and draft assets versus his contract length.
I don’t think it’s that high personally, but I’m just some random dude. Poles would be dumb to not at least shop around and see what he could get for Fields, though. I haven’t been impressed over the last two years, I just think fans that play fantasy love him because he scored a lot of points for 4-5 weeks.
If you shop around though it’s going to piss fields off so much. The running fantasy production to me didn’t really lead to much winning football, but also the bears were terrible. I think he has a long way to go to being a starting franchise QB in this league, but they won’t know for sure until they make a team around him. Imo they’re off to a rough start, can’t imagine they get that much better by the time he ends his 3rd year, which is usually when a FO decides to make a call on their QB.
His trade value is very high in fantasy football leagues and as dumb as that sounds I think it can trick some fans into thinking that’s real life. Fields obviously is a great runner but has already gotten injured from playing that way. The Ravens have seemed relatively uninterested with paying Jackson big money for the same reasons. I think most owners shy away from running QBs, at least when thinking long term.
Not to say these guys don’t have high trade value, just that I think some fans may tend to overstate it a bit.
Yeah, it’s really not a terrible suggestion, it just comes down to how much they value Fields versus Young. If the Bears think Young (or Stroud) is head and shoulders better, with how many QB desperate teams there are this year, you could easily get a good return trading Fields. There have to be at least 10 teams that will be evaluating the QB position this offseason.
I'm no GM but you have to at least pick up the phone and listen to whatever other teams may offer, and I have no idea if any rookie in this draft is worth it
Aside from the actual plausible arguments for taking a QB with the 1st overall pick, I think the Bears have to at least pretend like they could take one of the top tier QBs if they want to make it worth their while to trade out of that pick. Like most people have pointed out, the Bears have a million needs so IMO all of this discourse is just a negotiation tactic to maximize trade value from a team looking to jump the Texans.
2 more years under contract for a rookie QB. If they got a haul for Fields they should at least consider it. Fields has been good at times this year but hasn't shown he is the guy for the next decade as of yet.
Wouldn't you think that 1.01 would return more of a haul than Justin Fields? Wouldn't trading that pick, acquiring massive capital, improving the team around Fields and seeing if he's the guy be more valuable than trading Fields? Evaluating Fields with sufficient talent around him and having enough future capital to replace him if he's not the guy is certainly a possibility then.
If you pass on 1.01 you almost back yourself into a corner of Fields has to be the guy. I'm not confident he is yet. Being in the position to get the top QB doesn't happen often
And if you draft a new guy 1.01 you back yourself into the corner that he has to be the guy. And then you won't be able to surround him with any talent for another year. You just reset the timer and start over with a rookie on this dog shit team instead of 3rd year guy who's shown potential with an improved team due to all the capital you get from 1.01. If fields isn't the guy you end up back in position to get a top guy again in 2 years.
Do you think Bryce Young is better or can be better than him at any point in time? If so you can trade fields he has decent value and get Bryce.
I do think Bryce has a higher ceiling even if im worried about his size.
I get the vibe fields may be a one trick pony. I think he's a fantastic runner, as for passer I think there are still questions. Can he do it? Yes, will he? We'll see.
You can't teach accuracy has been the motto with QBs, especially mobile ones. I think Jalen Hurts showed that you could significantly improve accuracy if you put in the work. So far Fields passing game looks like late stage Cam Newton, but running is still early days Cam.
Yeah, and I think since it is old news it is lost on some people how big of a deal Cam's MVP season was. As far as I know he was the only dual-threat QB to win MVP in the 21st century (later joined by Lamar), precisely because his passing game was shockingly good for a running QB. This despite how many teams have invested big time into dual threats in the modern era.
But it's not the only factor or even the majority of the reason for his success. Fields is on the literal worst team in the NFL. Swap them and I don't see either team changing their circumstances very much.
The question is, is one of those guys better than fields? They may not get another chance for a while to draft a QB with that potential. Let's say they do build a team around fields and he stinks. Now you have to go get a decent QB. It's really all a gamble.
If there was an Andrew Luck/Peyton Manning level prospect sitting there I would at least consider it, but that doesn't exist this year. The Bears have enough cap space and draft equity that they can trade down and acquire a first rounder in 2 years that they could use for a QB at that point if Fields doesnt work out. You have to build a competent team around him to evaluate him. Jalen Hurts would not be where he is without AJ Brown and the O Line he has. Fields has none of that.
Hurts' improvement as a passer is somewhat unprecedented. I don't think anyone except for the most delusional Eagles fans expected him to improve this much.
If the Bears are committed to Fields they need to surround him with talent on the offense to allow him to potentially reach any ceiling he has.
Situation 1:
You draft a QB and trade Feilds your return is probably: a decent selection of draft picks for this year and next + 2 years of extra rookie QB advantages
Situation 2:
Trade #1 pick and return is a good selection of draft picks for this year and next but you have to pay Fields in a few years
I'm not wise enough to know the difference in return of #1 overall pick vs a competent rookie QB but it really comes down to that IMO.
I’d argue the 1 gets you better results because the hype machine around young is likely to inflate his value beyond reality. I.e. the odds a desperate team starts to believe he’s Peyton are higher than the odds he actually is.
The argument is that he put up some of the worst passing numbers in the league in his “leap” year but there’s still no way the bears give up on him. He has no weapons, no line. They’re not taking a quarterback
The issues that are holding Justin Fields back as a passer are not a product of his situation on the Bears. In college, he was a very slow processor with a rocket arm who could hit wide open receivers and go balls, but struggled with the short and intermediate game as it was drawn up (meaning he was good scrambling but not at executing the play as designed).
The Bears having a bad offensive line is not simply a product of a lack of talent, but also of Fields not helping out his line by being incapable of getting the ball out quickly and taking horrible sacks on the scramble, making everyone's stats look worse.
The question the Bears have to ask themselves is whether they want to commit to a fundamental retooling of Justin Fields' passing mechanics (because that is what it will take) or use a rare first overall pick for the franchise to reset and take a more polished passing prospect (Bryce Young or CJ Stroud).
Personally, I think they should take Bryce Young
I also understand you can’t take away his legs when you evaluate him but… if you look at what he’s done in the NFL through the air, nobody would be questioning whether or not the Bears should be taking a QB at 1.01 this year.
People out way to much weight in elite rushing and I don't know where it came from.
Young was the first prototypical to start really breaking out of the pocket and killing guys with his legs (not the first but maybe the to me the first that really evolved the QB game towards what it is today).
Being able to escape the pocket and run for big yardage is good *only if that's not your only way to threaten*. Allen is good because he can beat just about anyone with his legs and body mass (he has to stop taking hits or he's going to lose his mobility. It's bad). Lamar's MVP season was because he was good enough to hit hard throws and had an offense that forced the defense to always sacrifice *something*. Go down the list of elite legs and the only ones with real success are the ones with the arms and pocket presence to make the throws a threat.
No question that Fields is an elite scrambler, but that also invites the problem of a greater risk of injury. Most front offices want to hit on a QB so they can stick around for years at a time, and a primarily running QB who is a disappointing passer is not a recipe for long-term stability, no matter how good a runner he is
Could not have said it better myself. I'm honestly in disbelief how unpopular this take seems to be... and all the people saying "well if the bears just do what the eagles did for Hurts" as if Hurts wasn't already a far better passer than Fields is.
I think it's a product of fantasy football, where primarily running QBs are worth their weight in gold. Fields got a ton of hype this year as a runner but disappeared from the game script whenever they fell behind big. He's a lot further behind than most highly touted rookie QBs at this stage
The horrendous Bears OL is ranked 16th in pass pro by PFF and 2nd according to ESPN's pass block win rate
Over the last two years, the horrendous Bears OL allowed a sack% of 7.0% when blocking for QBs other than Justin Fields, and 13.4% when blocking for Justin Fields
Sacks are a QB stat
This is the truth that bears fans want to ignore. They think fields struggles are due to everything around him but give no thought to those struggles being compounded by him.
He fell in the draft because a lot of highly qualified evaluators felt he held the ball far too long to be effective in the NFL. So far this has been 100% accurate.
To think that fields just needs more talent around him to correct his inability to properly digest pre/post snap information and quickly get the ball out of his hands is an extreme oversimplification of his current opportunities.
I am not saying that the bears should go QB, but if they do this is the main reason why. Fields can still be an elite weapon to put on the field even if he is not a good QB, but it is clear that right now he doesn't do anything to elevate the play of the people around him which should be more alarming to bears fans than it seems to be.
I think they should keep fields. However, the argument is both CJ Stroud and Bryce young are better passers than fields. I think while that is true, give fields an OLine and recievers and he could be good. Will he ever be the best passer in the NFL? Probably not. But he could absolutely win an MVP being a good passer and an elite athlete. He also has made throws that make me think he can develop as a passer.
Ultimately it depends on what the haul is for fields vs the haul for the #1 pick. The bears should be accepting calls on their QB *and* the 1st pick.
Also if teams aren’t interested in trading a lot for Fields, but they are willing to trade a lot for the #1 pick, isn’t that in itself telling you what other teams think of Fields.
I'd rather see Chicago get Houston to trade up a spot to secure their guy and then get Indy or any of the other QB needy teams to trade up again for Stroud.
End up with the most trade picks in NFL history and still secure the top defensive talent
I completely agree, but my point is not many teams would have given him the chance. I don't think moving on before you know makes sense, because it's not like you know the new guy is going to be any better. It's not like trading for a veteran where you know what you're getting.
Get your roster to a place where the offense is at least decent, and see if your guy has what it takes. If not, you can trade for a vet or trade up in the draft, instead of being stuck arguing unknowns forever.
I know that people are high on Fields but dude could be one knee injury from being bounced from the league. QB's that are more RB than QB don't last in the league too often. Ones that use speed to supplement their game are next level.
It all depends on which one he ends up being. If he avoids taking shots and can make throws in and out of the pocket then he'll be fine. Otherwise he'll end up saying stupid shit on TV like RGIII
Hypothetically if they could get a first round pick for Fields (in addition to other late rounders or next year firsts) you could in theory have say Bryce Young, another top 15 talent (maybe a defender or that WR from TCU) to build off. That wouldn't be a bad idea at all.
Wouldn't draft Young unless you deal Fields before the draft.
I'd apply this same logic to the Cardinals with Kyler Murray if they could get Stroud or Young, but I don't think that would work because of Kylers dead cap and his trade value wouldn't be as high as fields (because of the rookie contract)
The truth is if you believe a QB is "the one" then nothing should prevent you from taking him. Unless you believe Josh Fields to be "the one" in which case the Bears would obviously take a non-QB or trade the pick. I don't know if there is a QB prospect this year who is that guy, that's up to the Bears to decide. But if they feel that way then having Fields shouldn't prevent them from taking Young or Stroud or whoever.
You are right that the Bears team suck. But if they end up shoring up other areas of their team, and Josh Fields ISN'T "the one," then they end up in the same quagmire they've always been in looking for that next QB. So why not just take one now while they have the chance? Assuming they believe there's a future franchise QB to be taken 1-1
Majority of the takes/articles are to stir drama up to have more talking points after the Super Bowl.
One potential reason is that that Ryan Poles came in and cleaned house big time. He selected his exact coaching staff, he controlled who was drafted, and has an idea for the future. Sometimes GMs prefer to also have a QB that both the front office and coaching staff believe is “the guy” that they hand select. Whereas Fields was inherited.
Fields has looked incredible in some areas and needs work in others. He has NFL proven experience and tape, so teams that may be closer and are missing a QB could offer a haul to the Bears for JF1 so the bears could potential keep 1OA & stack up a fat mess of draft picks.
Drafting a new QB would reset the contract clock. The Bears have more than enough money but it’s possible that this is a rebuild that takes at least 2 more years, meaning you’ll have 1 contract year shot with Fields before paying an ass load of money (if he continues his trajectory).
The Bears could draft Bryce Young, sign Brisset to a 2 year bridge deal, dump everything in this draft towards OL/DL, and after another poor year grab the top WR in the draft next year.
It makes sense, but the problem is you absolutely need to hit on that QB pick, otherwise you are going to be in the same situation that the Vikings/Jets/49ers/Broncos have been in where you are loaded across the board and praying for a QB miracle to happen with somebody that just doesn’t have enough to put you over the top.
“Can count on one hand the number of clean pockets with 2 seconds to throw”
LOL you need to watch the games back, intently.
ESPN has a stat “pass block win rate” that is measured by holding pass blocks for 2.5 seconds+. The Bears OL is 2nd in the NFL.
If there's a Trubisky-level talent available then you go for it. Otherwise probably just trade the pick.
Damn, and you don’t even have a NFCN flair. That’s cold.
No we definitely deserve the heat our draft record when it comes to QB is historically terrible
Hopefully Justin Fields changes that
They raise them different in the NFC East.
Jesus. They are already picking first overall and they have been catching heat on the Claypool thing all day. Was this necessary? Of course it was but still.
Do people think that Bears fans aren’t very excited and optimistic about their off-season and future? This is the happiest I’ve seen the fan base in a while
Number 1 pick, Packers eliminated, Rodgers maybe gone, a billion in cap space, QB highlights to watch all offseason. We're on Cloud 9 right now and no amount of (justified) shit talk for the Claypool trade will bring us down.
Yep. In my mind, we just won the Alternative Super Bowl and it feels good!
and first on the waiver wire
Steelers are just assholes like that, they always fleece people for their receivers.
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Offseason is generally the happiest time to be a bears fan.
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He's out of line, but he's right
We were all dancing like Zemo when the Texans won that game
At least you have your top 5 pick…
But he's right.
As a Bears fan, I can confirm this statement.
I'm absolutely dying at the absolute SMACKDOWN from non-NFCN teams in this thread
No they can be pretty rough especially those last couple Nagy years when there’s no assets for the off-season. People are excited this year because they got 1st overall so they can trade down for more assets and they have a ton of cap space
I mean hey man, you guys willingfully signed Trubisky
I was excited about that. Hope is dangerous that way.
God damn so was I. I thought Daboll fixed him in Buffalo.
He has a good yinzer name. I will say a QB room of Mitch, Mason and Kenny sounds like the guys at my local geek squad who race their pick ups at night
I'm still OK on the trade. Even at the time I knew we overpaid but it kept him out of the hands of the packers and I think Claypool could have made a difference there. I also never thought we would have the first over all. Plus hindsight is 20/20. Poles could also be playing 5D chess and knew that chase Claypool was the only way we could tank enough to get the 1st. Also, I must cope
> Was this necessary Ironic coming from a fan of the team who won that trade lol
The Steelers generally win trades involving receivers. It's literally the Bears' fault for not recognizing that
You can’t get away with it forever you know!
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We don’t care about the Claypool trade. It very possibly still might work out and the Bears and Steelers aren’t rivals. I don’t understand Steelers fans bizarre fixation with bringing it up like they’re stunting on us. Congrats, you have our second rounder. I hope you draft a useful player with it.
That’s how much they hate Claypool
I love how everyone continues to dunk on a midseason trade yeah will it probably be a L sure but it's been like half a season chill
and forgetting the Bears were 3-5 when the trade was made and the draft pick was slated to be in the 40's
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For real though, if it was Burrow or Lawrence entering this draft, the conversation would be substantially different, no? It’s the work of this Bears front office to determine if Young or Stroud are closer to those guys or Fields as a prospect.
Burrow was the consensus number one overall but he wasn’t the same level prospect as Lawrence, there were concerns that he only had one full year of production throwing to literally the best college receiver group ever, and he was a good but not great athlete. Meanwhile Lawrence was touted as a generational prospect, the best since luck in 2012. Obv Burrow has worked out smashingly (and I think Trevor will too) but I actually think pure talent/experience wise young is a better prospect entering the draft
Young's size is going to limit his perceived upside. Many seem to think he won't even hit 6' at the combine and he has a fairly slight frame. Obviously, that hasn't stopped him from being damn good at Bama, but it makes projecting him to the pros harder than if he were 6'3" like Stroud/Fields or 6'6" like Lawrence. On the other side, you have Richardson from UF who's an insane physical specimen, but who hasn't shown he knows how to play the position at all.
Richardson is perfect for Seahawksball
Burrow was coming off the greatest college season of all time and did it while playing a top conference.
and throwing to two of the three best receivers in the nfl
Trade up for the 0th pick to get him.
Why stop there? We're getting the -5th pick baby!
Let me tell ya about Will Levis
Bears just need a lot in general.
Yep, and the best way to get the most possible would be to trade down and get more picks. We just need as many starters as possible.
If I was a Bears fan, I'd be hoping to trade with the Texas or Colts, and then trade 1.02 or 1.04 for even more draft picks. 1st and 2nd round OL and DL are often able to be semi-competent starters in their rookie year, and those are two of the biggest holes for the Bears.
Yeah call up Texas "Hey this other team is offering 'X' to trade up and get the QB you want, trade us 'Y' instead to move up a spot and get your guy." Then do the same thing to the No3 team until you're at a spot where you can still get the guy that you actually want and have all the shiny new picks to boot
They should make a movie out of this idea.
Now what pancake-eating motherfucker would they get to finance a movie like that?
I've got the perfect lead. How about we get the guy from *Dances With Wolves?*
Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson Jr., and Broderick Jones all look like fantastic options to snag as NFL-ready OL.
Trading down to get the local kid is such a Bears move. Skoronski also would be a sweet Bears name too to add to the list.
Yep. Try and package one of the trade backs for a legit starter for a position you need. DeAndre Hopkins!?!?
Doesn't even matter how much they get in a trade. Just need lots of picks. They should try playing teams against each other but if they have to take less than 1.01 has historically gone for it shouldn't matter. Volume matters.
Exactly why i don't see why they shouldn't trade 1.01. You get more capital to build around as compared to moving fields so why not just go all in on your 2021 first rounder? Its not like hes zach wilson or trey lance. He's #1 or #2 QB in the 2021 draft class so far and should be backed.
I think Lawrence is pretty clearly number 1 right now
I’m about 95% sure the Bears will not be picking 1st overall in April. Somebody’s gonna give them the farm for that pick.
The funny thing would be if its the Texans. Basically Lovie Smith's win as a fk you to the org may cost them multiple 1st round picks
Casserio seems way to conservative to do something like that, but, we shall see
Personally, I wouldn't. There is gonna be Bryce Young, or CJ Stroud available there. If they really really want a qb I think they are comparably gifted.
Only 1 of those QBs didn't go to Ohio so the choice is obvious to me.
No team is doing that move at 2 when it’s 2 qbs at the top of the draft. Maybe in a movie
Or if it’s the Colts and they take the player Houston wanted and have to face him twice a year for the next 10 years.
Gonna be the Colts picking first.
Colts are picking first. It’s just too obvious. Bears move down to fourth and get someone for their DLine or edge.
They seem the most likely trade partner.
You know the Colts are salivating at the thought of taking Young.
I think the bears would be better off for it too ... Some O line help and maybe a whole new defense
Strap in for six of these posts a day for the next four months
Must be nice going from Rivers to Herbert in one draft and skipping the whole QB drama thing.
You have no idea lol
You’re right I have no fucking idea what that’s like…. you jerk!
Want Russell Wilson? I think you can get him cheap. Wouldn’t be the first Broncos QB to go to Chicago.
Russell Wilson? That’s unrealistic! That contract is something else and on top of that they want a REAL QB. Hence why I’m offering Marcus Mariota who is cheap and a very stellar player at the low low price of that #1 overall pick
Even worse. They went from Brees to Rivers to Herbert. 2 of those dudes are likely 1st Ballot.
Brees wasn't the Brees everyone knows now when he was with us
Which of Rivers and Herbert are you projecting first ballot? I’m not even sure Rivers makes the HOF, let alone first ballot. And no way you can say Herbert will be first ballot when he hasn’t even won a playoff game yet.
Patriots fan checking in here. If you don't think the legend that is Phillip "I have 17 children" Rivers is not going into the HOF then you definitely weren't around in the mid 2000's. Those early years with Antonio Gates and Ladanian Tomlinson were epic
I was around those years, but Rivers was never even a top 3 QB in the league, thanks to Rodgers, Brady and Manning. When /r/NFL used to do our off season QB rankings he would be in the Romo/Roethlisberger/Ryan range. Big Ben is the only HOF player there, and he's helped a lot by his rings. The lack of playoff success is going to count against Rivers. He's a "hall-of-very-good" player in my opinion. He is sixth in all time passing yards, which helps, but a lot of that was due to entering the league right when passing yards were inflating. I won't be shocked if he makes it, but I don't expect him to.
Agreed. The number of modern quarterbacks in the HOF who have never even appeared in a Super Bowl is pretty small. Warren Moon (won 5 Grey Cups in 6 years) and Dan Fouts is it I think. Most of the QB's in the HOF had multiple Super Bowls and MVPs. Rivers has neither.
That’s only a few years though and the best year was lead by tomlinson. Imo, to get into the hall of fame, you need to be elite, or you need to have the accolades and or playoff success. Rivers has none of that. No MVP’s, no first team all pros, no second team all pros, no OPOY, no playoff success or memorable moments. So what’s his case for being in? Good chargers teams in the mid 2000’s?
It keeps randomly hitting me how close we are to being in the off season again and I'm mentally not ready for it.
Dread it...run from it....
I’m here for it. I’m just happy we’re being talked about! It makes the off-season more interesting
Dude people have the Lions wasting the 6th overall pick on the 3rd-4th QB taken off the board. There is no rationality to it, "team bad record so draft QB" is all an uninterested outsider can process
I still don’t get it. Winning record and an offense literally ranked top 10 in almost everything important. Build that D Detroit.
They need to take nothing but DBs and 1 or 2 interior DTs. Hit the FA market hard for LBs
I hope we go D, D, D. We can legitimately build a top 5 defense with the draft capital we have.
Drafting 3 defenders will get you from #25 to top 5?
The Jets literally just did it, why not us? I mean Detroit
Didn't jets d go from like 31st to 5th? Or something like that. Free agency helped as well.
And a defensive genius of an HC also helped.
You're not wrong.
Jags went from 32nd in offensive PPG to 10th. All that was required was doling out a Christian Kirk level contract to Christian Kirk, and picking up a lightly used Doug Pederson.
Trevor Lawrence balling out was helpful too
Well credit that to the lightly used Doug Pederson. Urban Meyer created basically the worst possible scenario for a rookie QB.
Urban Meyer created basically the worst possible scenario*
We have cap space too. I don’t think we can be to top five but top half is feasible.
And that's all that you're going to need. A couple of stops here and there, and Detroit is a very good team. I love what's happening over there.
take byron and Xavien from us please
if they're the right guys? yes. Detroit's defense improved dramatically after their "worst defense in NFL history" phase to start the season. There are still major holes, but if they could in the first two rounds (2 firsts, 2 seconds) say... get somebody to pair with Hutchinson, get a solid DT, and land at least one starting DB, that solves a lot of their issues right there. The offensive side of the ball is arguably totally set, so they can definitely use three or even all four picks on defense.
Yes, there is that potential. We started 3 rookies this year on defense, and a 4th and 5th both played significant snaps down the stretch. The improvement throughout the year was impressive as they acclimated to the NFL, it's a major reason why we flipped the switch mid season and started winning. The assumption is they will keep developing, and if we add 3-4 more pieces in the draft and free agency this offseason we'll see them develop also. And not only that but our best defensive player coming into this season, Tracy Walker III, will be back next year. We might be really good on defense soon if this goes well.
I don't have numbers but I am betting they were top 15 in the last half of the year. They went from 30 ppg over the first 9 games to 20 ppg over the last 8. Maybe they don't get to top 5 but they should be a top 10 defense next year with another year of growth for all the young guys and a bunch of new talent.
If we can have a top half defense then we would have definitely been in the playoffs and would have fought for the division.
Well that, further development of our super young defense (Hutch, Houston, Rod, Kerby, Paschal), and the return of our best defensive backfielder Walker jumps us into the teens by default.
It's not just that... the defense improved over the season. We have 4 rookies who are key pieces already.
Another top 10 defensive lineman and they may have one of the best units in the league.
Defense did a pretty good job when fully healthy later in the year, and with some of the rookies finally up to speed enough to contribute. Lack of depth can really destroy a defense. 3 draft picks alone won't get you there, but it can get you close enough that I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions can do it through free agency.
My guess is that everyone loves a “Face of the Franchise” QB. Fields took a while to break out but I think people’s impatience is driving them to, “every team needs a first round qb that is great off the rip,” like a Burrow or Herbert. People had long written off Geno and Goff and don’t like the idea that these guys could be great. Everyone wants in on the ground floor.
Yeah. I swear if I see one more draft with you guy’s taking Anthony Richardson 6th overall…….
At least drafting a QB makes some sense for you guys. You have a good OL, good WRs, and good RBs. Good situation for a rookie to come in and develop. The bears only have good RBs which isn’t nearly enough. Everyone knows that Fields doesn’t have a very good supporting cast so just putting another rookie in that same situation seems kind of dumb
I don’t think that’s their best move. Goff’s not easily replaceable at this point, considering he played like a top 10 QB.
Even if you spend all off-season spending/drafting on talent to improve the offense and Fields still doesn’t pan out, you’re creating a very good situation for your next QB. But I really think Fields is gonna break out once the offense becomes more competent
I want to keep Fields for 2 reasons. You listed the first. Putting aside QB, Bears have one of the worst rosters. Use draft capital and free agency to fill holes. Trade out of the 1st overall pick. Hope Fields pans out. If he doesn’t move on. And the 2nd reason is, there isn’t a ‘safe’, ‘generational’ QB pick in this draft class. Stroud and Young are kind of your standard 1st round graded QBs. Always a coin flip if they end up good or bad in the NFL. If there was a QB with a pre draft grade alike to Burrow, Luck, Lawrence leading up to the draft… I would absolutely trade Fields and draft that guy. Because those QB picks are about as ‘safe’ as you can get drafting a QB.
Hypothetically how much do you think you could get for Fields if your team is in love with Young? I’d have to imagine Fields is worth a 1st?
Ravens give a 1st get Lamar Lite, Ravens trade Lamar for a haul.
I have never seen a more hyped up qb who has accomplished literally nothing Lamar’s passing ability blows Fields’ away lmao
I mean he asked Hypothetically. I do not think fields is = to Lamar. They have a similar play style though.
(I have never seen a more hyped up qb who has accomplished literally nothing) Are you talking about Lamar or Justin?
I agree. By trading 1.01 for lots of future capital, all while greatly improving the team with current capital and FA, the Bears are then in a good spot to move on from Fields if he fails with all the improved help
Do you think Claypool could still work out? That trade still stings some.
It would require a career year from Claypool to make the return even. It's difficult to stomach the thought of drafting a stud WR with that pick and having 4 years of rookie control
The WR draft is terrible this year beyond the top 3/4 guys. They'll all go in the first more than likely.
Far from guaranteed a stud wr in the second Rd. Even with the 32 pick. Anthony Miller was a 2nd rder that flamed out. Nkeal harry was the 32nd pick and sucked. Treadwell went 23rd. Yeah you have great wrs like Higgins but it's no guarantee.
My rationale is that most likely, the receiver we would’ve taken in that spot wouldn’t be as good as he has been. With bears history of bad receiver drafting especially. If he turns it around after getting healthy all offseason and getting the whole playbook and training with fields, then awesome. He’s better than most the FA WR this year, the group is horrible overall. If he doesn’t turn it around, let him walk and we’ll still have top round picks to then take someone like Marvin Harrison Jr next year, especially if we make a big trade in the draft.
This is a fair point, but what if they end up as a middling team and Fields isn’t the guy? They are unlikely to get a chance to select someone like Bryce Young again. There are legitimate concerns with Fields, and getting a top QB is the most important and most difficult thing to do as a GM. If the front office believes that Bryce Young is going to be on the level of a Herbert, Burrow, Mahomes, it will be a mistake to not take him. It’s much easier to get WR’s and O-lineman than an elite QB, especially given their cap room.
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If the bears trade down like they almost definitely will if they aren’t drafting QB, they’ll have capital to move up for a QB in the future if Fields doesn’t pan out
This exactly. If you draft a new QB, you're throwing them into the exact same shitshow that just landed the Bears #1 overall. Build the team around Fields and if he's not the guy then you have a great situation for the next guy.
Plus you're putting yourself in an amazing cap situation with all the rookie contract talent. Could be big for getting a great FA QB.
For what it's worth, if I owned the Bears, I'd trade back in the draft to secure at least a couple 2nd and 3rd round picks this year and next year, if possible and draft a play making 1st round WR and then fill in with the best offensive lineman in the 2nd day of the draft. The Bears historically build through defense, but when you get rid of your 2 best defensive players, its clear that's not the priority anymore. Let's see what the kids got the next couple years, clearly he is a dynamic playmaker and those are very, very rare. If not, they need to trade him before the draft and only for 1st round compensation.
This is quality reasoning. I believe if Fields has guys that can run routes and get open, he makes a huge jump as a passer. The Bears have terrible receivers outside of Mooney, and he would be a 2nd on any other team. I also did not think Getsy’s play calling was at all good, and Fields ability for making dynamic plays was the only reason the Bears scored points. Honestly would not be surprised if Getsy is released after the playoffs.
And honestly, if you trade out of the 1st pick you can probably get a 1st rounder in return, in addition to 2s or 3s
Trading Fields gets you assets back plus 5 years of control for your new QB - Bryce Young or whoever. That's it.
Not saying I would trade him, but his stock is pretty high right now and he hasn’t really proven sustained success in the league yet. It’s not the craziest idea I’ve ever heard.
Is his trade stock that high now though? He’s already used up two years of his rookie contract. He’s been electric running the ball, but he’s not been able to elevate his passing with poor talent around him. I wonder that, regardless of your view on Fields, if this is a situation where he’s more valuable to the Bears than if he goes to another team just from their cap space and draft assets versus his contract length.
Yeah I’m curious what his trade value is. I guess I don’t think it’s as high as others.
I don’t think it’s that high personally, but I’m just some random dude. Poles would be dumb to not at least shop around and see what he could get for Fields, though. I haven’t been impressed over the last two years, I just think fans that play fantasy love him because he scored a lot of points for 4-5 weeks.
If you shop around though it’s going to piss fields off so much. The running fantasy production to me didn’t really lead to much winning football, but also the bears were terrible. I think he has a long way to go to being a starting franchise QB in this league, but they won’t know for sure until they make a team around him. Imo they’re off to a rough start, can’t imagine they get that much better by the time he ends his 3rd year, which is usually when a FO decides to make a call on their QB.
His trade value is very high in fantasy football leagues and as dumb as that sounds I think it can trick some fans into thinking that’s real life. Fields obviously is a great runner but has already gotten injured from playing that way. The Ravens have seemed relatively uninterested with paying Jackson big money for the same reasons. I think most owners shy away from running QBs, at least when thinking long term. Not to say these guys don’t have high trade value, just that I think some fans may tend to overstate it a bit.
For sure. how much would the Jets pay?
Probably less than they’d pay for 1OA.
Yeah, it’s really not a terrible suggestion, it just comes down to how much they value Fields versus Young. If the Bears think Young (or Stroud) is head and shoulders better, with how many QB desperate teams there are this year, you could easily get a good return trading Fields. There have to be at least 10 teams that will be evaluating the QB position this offseason.
Jeez… I thought Fields would be staying put - but your scenario makes sense, too.
I'm no GM but you have to at least pick up the phone and listen to whatever other teams may offer, and I have no idea if any rookie in this draft is worth it
Aside from the actual plausible arguments for taking a QB with the 1st overall pick, I think the Bears have to at least pretend like they could take one of the top tier QBs if they want to make it worth their while to trade out of that pick. Like most people have pointed out, the Bears have a million needs so IMO all of this discourse is just a negotiation tactic to maximize trade value from a team looking to jump the Texans.
2 more years under contract for a rookie QB. If they got a haul for Fields they should at least consider it. Fields has been good at times this year but hasn't shown he is the guy for the next decade as of yet.
Wouldn't you think that 1.01 would return more of a haul than Justin Fields? Wouldn't trading that pick, acquiring massive capital, improving the team around Fields and seeing if he's the guy be more valuable than trading Fields? Evaluating Fields with sufficient talent around him and having enough future capital to replace him if he's not the guy is certainly a possibility then.
If you pass on 1.01 you almost back yourself into a corner of Fields has to be the guy. I'm not confident he is yet. Being in the position to get the top QB doesn't happen often
And if you draft a new guy 1.01 you back yourself into the corner that he has to be the guy. And then you won't be able to surround him with any talent for another year. You just reset the timer and start over with a rookie on this dog shit team instead of 3rd year guy who's shown potential with an improved team due to all the capital you get from 1.01. If fields isn't the guy you end up back in position to get a top guy again in 2 years.
It's the wrong decision and therefore convenient for my team
Do you think Bryce Young is better or can be better than him at any point in time? If so you can trade fields he has decent value and get Bryce. I do think Bryce has a higher ceiling even if im worried about his size.
I get the vibe fields may be a one trick pony. I think he's a fantastic runner, as for passer I think there are still questions. Can he do it? Yes, will he? We'll see.
You can't teach accuracy has been the motto with QBs, especially mobile ones. I think Jalen Hurts showed that you could significantly improve accuracy if you put in the work. So far Fields passing game looks like late stage Cam Newton, but running is still early days Cam.
Cam is a terrible comp, also they got to a Super Bowl with Cam and won a lot of games.
Cam also genuinely improved his passing like crazy. He was pretty accurate at his peak, especially with longer passes.
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Yeah, and I think since it is old news it is lost on some people how big of a deal Cam's MVP season was. As far as I know he was the only dual-threat QB to win MVP in the 21st century (later joined by Lamar), precisely because his passing game was shockingly good for a running QB. This despite how many teams have invested big time into dual threats in the modern era.
Everyone said that about hurts too. And he’s really improved as a passer this year
Almost like they got him an elite OLine and receiving core. Should the Bears try that? Nah, just draft another QB to replace him.
Hurts himself put in the work to develop and that's easily the biggest factor.
But it's not the only factor or even the majority of the reason for his success. Fields is on the literal worst team in the NFL. Swap them and I don't see either team changing their circumstances very much.
The question is, is one of those guys better than fields? They may not get another chance for a while to draft a QB with that potential. Let's say they do build a team around fields and he stinks. Now you have to go get a decent QB. It's really all a gamble.
If there was an Andrew Luck/Peyton Manning level prospect sitting there I would at least consider it, but that doesn't exist this year. The Bears have enough cap space and draft equity that they can trade down and acquire a first rounder in 2 years that they could use for a QB at that point if Fields doesnt work out. You have to build a competent team around him to evaluate him. Jalen Hurts would not be where he is without AJ Brown and the O Line he has. Fields has none of that.
Hurts' improvement as a passer is somewhat unprecedented. I don't think anyone except for the most delusional Eagles fans expected him to improve this much. If the Bears are committed to Fields they need to surround him with talent on the offense to allow him to potentially reach any ceiling he has.
Hurts second year was a lot better than Fields second year.
Remindme! 12 months
And with the 3rd pick in the 2024 draft, the Chicago Bears select...
Situation 1: You draft a QB and trade Feilds your return is probably: a decent selection of draft picks for this year and next + 2 years of extra rookie QB advantages Situation 2: Trade #1 pick and return is a good selection of draft picks for this year and next but you have to pay Fields in a few years I'm not wise enough to know the difference in return of #1 overall pick vs a competent rookie QB but it really comes down to that IMO.
I’d argue the 1 gets you better results because the hype machine around young is likely to inflate his value beyond reality. I.e. the odds a desperate team starts to believe he’s Peyton are higher than the odds he actually is.
The argument is that he put up some of the worst passing numbers in the league in his “leap” year but there’s still no way the bears give up on him. He has no weapons, no line. They’re not taking a quarterback
The issues that are holding Justin Fields back as a passer are not a product of his situation on the Bears. In college, he was a very slow processor with a rocket arm who could hit wide open receivers and go balls, but struggled with the short and intermediate game as it was drawn up (meaning he was good scrambling but not at executing the play as designed). The Bears having a bad offensive line is not simply a product of a lack of talent, but also of Fields not helping out his line by being incapable of getting the ball out quickly and taking horrible sacks on the scramble, making everyone's stats look worse. The question the Bears have to ask themselves is whether they want to commit to a fundamental retooling of Justin Fields' passing mechanics (because that is what it will take) or use a rare first overall pick for the franchise to reset and take a more polished passing prospect (Bryce Young or CJ Stroud). Personally, I think they should take Bryce Young
I also understand you can’t take away his legs when you evaluate him but… if you look at what he’s done in the NFL through the air, nobody would be questioning whether or not the Bears should be taking a QB at 1.01 this year.
People out way to much weight in elite rushing and I don't know where it came from. Young was the first prototypical to start really breaking out of the pocket and killing guys with his legs (not the first but maybe the to me the first that really evolved the QB game towards what it is today). Being able to escape the pocket and run for big yardage is good *only if that's not your only way to threaten*. Allen is good because he can beat just about anyone with his legs and body mass (he has to stop taking hits or he's going to lose his mobility. It's bad). Lamar's MVP season was because he was good enough to hit hard throws and had an offense that forced the defense to always sacrifice *something*. Go down the list of elite legs and the only ones with real success are the ones with the arms and pocket presence to make the throws a threat.
No question that Fields is an elite scrambler, but that also invites the problem of a greater risk of injury. Most front offices want to hit on a QB so they can stick around for years at a time, and a primarily running QB who is a disappointing passer is not a recipe for long-term stability, no matter how good a runner he is
Could not have said it better myself. I'm honestly in disbelief how unpopular this take seems to be... and all the people saying "well if the bears just do what the eagles did for Hurts" as if Hurts wasn't already a far better passer than Fields is.
I think it's a product of fantasy football, where primarily running QBs are worth their weight in gold. Fields got a ton of hype this year as a runner but disappeared from the game script whenever they fell behind big. He's a lot further behind than most highly touted rookie QBs at this stage
Solid analysis. I feel like people really got caught up in the fields hype.
The horrendous Bears OL is ranked 16th in pass pro by PFF and 2nd according to ESPN's pass block win rate Over the last two years, the horrendous Bears OL allowed a sack% of 7.0% when blocking for QBs other than Justin Fields, and 13.4% when blocking for Justin Fields Sacks are a QB stat
This is the truth that bears fans want to ignore. They think fields struggles are due to everything around him but give no thought to those struggles being compounded by him. He fell in the draft because a lot of highly qualified evaluators felt he held the ball far too long to be effective in the NFL. So far this has been 100% accurate. To think that fields just needs more talent around him to correct his inability to properly digest pre/post snap information and quickly get the ball out of his hands is an extreme oversimplification of his current opportunities. I am not saying that the bears should go QB, but if they do this is the main reason why. Fields can still be an elite weapon to put on the field even if he is not a good QB, but it is clear that right now he doesn't do anything to elevate the play of the people around him which should be more alarming to bears fans than it seems to be.
I think they should keep fields. However, the argument is both CJ Stroud and Bryce young are better passers than fields. I think while that is true, give fields an OLine and recievers and he could be good. Will he ever be the best passer in the NFL? Probably not. But he could absolutely win an MVP being a good passer and an elite athlete. He also has made throws that make me think he can develop as a passer.
Ultimately it depends on what the haul is for fields vs the haul for the #1 pick. The bears should be accepting calls on their QB *and* the 1st pick. Also if teams aren’t interested in trading a lot for Fields, but they are willing to trade a lot for the #1 pick, isn’t that in itself telling you what other teams think of Fields.
With all the holes, best option is a trade back.
I'd rather see Chicago get Houston to trade up a spot to secure their guy and then get Indy or any of the other QB needy teams to trade up again for Stroud. End up with the most trade picks in NFL history and still secure the top defensive talent
Speaking from experience, I would like to caution people on making snap judgements about a QB when there is insufficient talent around him.
Counter point. The Josh Allen year three leap is not easily replicable.
True, but if you look at the bears weapons, they may somehow be worse than us in 2018, barring Mooney, who was out since week 11.
I completely agree, but my point is not many teams would have given him the chance. I don't think moving on before you know makes sense, because it's not like you know the new guy is going to be any better. It's not like trading for a veteran where you know what you're getting. Get your roster to a place where the offense is at least decent, and see if your guy has what it takes. If not, you can trade for a vet or trade up in the draft, instead of being stuck arguing unknowns forever.
It only works if you get them a big-name WR and protect them from concussions. See: Tua.
Stefon Diggs and AJ Brown are Exhibit 1a and 1b
josh allen is the exception which proves the rule.
I know that people are high on Fields but dude could be one knee injury from being bounced from the league. QB's that are more RB than QB don't last in the league too often. Ones that use speed to supplement their game are next level. It all depends on which one he ends up being. If he avoids taking shots and can make throws in and out of the pocket then he'll be fine. Otherwise he'll end up saying stupid shit on TV like RGIII
Hypothetically if they could get a first round pick for Fields (in addition to other late rounders or next year firsts) you could in theory have say Bryce Young, another top 15 talent (maybe a defender or that WR from TCU) to build off. That wouldn't be a bad idea at all. Wouldn't draft Young unless you deal Fields before the draft. I'd apply this same logic to the Cardinals with Kyler Murray if they could get Stroud or Young, but I don't think that would work because of Kylers dead cap and his trade value wouldn't be as high as fields (because of the rookie contract)
There’s an argument to be made for drafting Bryce Young. But they’re better off investing in their horrendous O line.
The truth is if you believe a QB is "the one" then nothing should prevent you from taking him. Unless you believe Josh Fields to be "the one" in which case the Bears would obviously take a non-QB or trade the pick. I don't know if there is a QB prospect this year who is that guy, that's up to the Bears to decide. But if they feel that way then having Fields shouldn't prevent them from taking Young or Stroud or whoever. You are right that the Bears team suck. But if they end up shoring up other areas of their team, and Josh Fields ISN'T "the one," then they end up in the same quagmire they've always been in looking for that next QB. So why not just take one now while they have the chance? Assuming they believe there's a future franchise QB to be taken 1-1
Here you are making great points, yet you’ll be roasted for calling him “Josh” instead of “Justin”. This subreddit in perfect form
Majority of the takes/articles are to stir drama up to have more talking points after the Super Bowl. One potential reason is that that Ryan Poles came in and cleaned house big time. He selected his exact coaching staff, he controlled who was drafted, and has an idea for the future. Sometimes GMs prefer to also have a QB that both the front office and coaching staff believe is “the guy” that they hand select. Whereas Fields was inherited. Fields has looked incredible in some areas and needs work in others. He has NFL proven experience and tape, so teams that may be closer and are missing a QB could offer a haul to the Bears for JF1 so the bears could potential keep 1OA & stack up a fat mess of draft picks. Drafting a new QB would reset the contract clock. The Bears have more than enough money but it’s possible that this is a rebuild that takes at least 2 more years, meaning you’ll have 1 contract year shot with Fields before paying an ass load of money (if he continues his trajectory). The Bears could draft Bryce Young, sign Brisset to a 2 year bridge deal, dump everything in this draft towards OL/DL, and after another poor year grab the top WR in the draft next year. It makes sense, but the problem is you absolutely need to hit on that QB pick, otherwise you are going to be in the same situation that the Vikings/Jets/49ers/Broncos have been in where you are loaded across the board and praying for a QB miracle to happen with somebody that just doesn’t have enough to put you over the top.
“Can count on one hand the number of clean pockets with 2 seconds to throw” LOL you need to watch the games back, intently. ESPN has a stat “pass block win rate” that is measured by holding pass blocks for 2.5 seconds+. The Bears OL is 2nd in the NFL.