I loved what I saw from Fields in his return to action this past Sunday at Detroit. Yeah, the Bears blew the game, but don’t blame the third-year quarterback, who excelled as a thrower (16-for-23 for 169 yards, one touchdown and a 105.2 passer rating) and runner (18 rushes for 104 yards).
Now, I personally believe Fields is on borrowed time in Chicago, as the Bears currently own two of the top four picks — including No. 1 overall — in next April’s draft. With the expected quarterback talent available in the prospect pipeline, it’s not hard to imagine Chicago starting over at the position. I loved when the Bears boldly went up and snagged Fields in the 2021 draft, but the marriage just hasn’t produced great results. Granted, Chicago hasn’t exactly put him in the best environment to succeed in his brief NFL career — with coaching turnover and surrounding roster questions — but it just seems like the bloom’s off the rose.
So, I think Fields is currently playing for his future as an NFL starter. At the moment, I’m skeptical another team will look to acquire him in the coming offseason as its no-doubt starter for 2024. I think a legit competition would be more likely. Or even a backup job. That said, I do believe Fields can go somewhere else and eventually succeed. How about Atlanta? Or Las Vegas? Or Tennessee? If Fields finishes this season strong and the Bears are indeed looking to move on, we could see a bidding war for the young field general’s services.
