There is a heated debate among Chicago Bears fans over the team. Will they select quarterback Justin Fields with their first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, or trade him and start again with Caleb Williams, the winner of the USC Heisman Trophy?
There are some people—many people, in fact—who don’t seem to think there should be any argument at all. For a number of reasons, including the opinion that Fields is not a player who can be the foundation of a successful team, they feel that selecting Williams is an obvious choice.
Simply Put, Justin Fields Is “Not That Good”
Broncos insider for Denver During a recent interview on “The Big Douglas Show,” Benjamin Allbright of KOAColorado was questioned about why he believed the Bears would move on from Fields. He answered in an extremely direct manner.
“A mix of factors,” Allbright remarked. “One, if we’re being really honest, he’s not that good. Although he is an athletic wonder, his passing has not been that excellent. He’s really not been that good; it’s not only the offensive line or receivers.Justin Fields wasn’t the reason behind Chicago’s season-ending comeback. He had, you know, his typical awful stats. It was Chicago’s defence suddenly becoming much better. But that doesn’t mean Justin can’t become something. It’s not that the offence wasn’t a hindrance. It just indicates that he hasn’t been a decent date. As a starter, he’s about 8 and 27 (really, 10-28). The offensive and supporting cast go beyond that. At some point, you are a part of that.He may not be as well-liked by the media and supporters as he is outside the league.
An anonymous NFC executive provided a similarly frank evaluation of Fields, the athlete, in an ESPN article written by Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin.
“I believe we already know what [Fields] is right now—a fantastic athlete and playmaker who occasionally misses throws or doesn’t always take advantage of his opportunities to make throws,” the executive remarked. “In my opinion, he has some really impressive elements to his game, and you can win some games with him, but it’s not sustainable in the long run as a pocket passer.”
Trade Value of Justin Fields
The ESPN piece continued with a somewhat lacklustre discussion of Fields’ trade value.
According to an unofficial survey of league evaluators, Fields would fetch a second- or third-round pick in a trade prior to the draft. That is marginally worse than Sam Darnold, who was dealt by the Jets for a sixth-round pick and two second- and fourth-round picks to the Carolina Hurricanes, but better than Trey Lance, whom Dallas acquired from San Francisco for a fourth-round pick.
Fields would only fetch a second-round draft selection in a pre-draft transaction, according to an earlier survey of anonymous NFL executives, which is consistent with that trade value evaluation.
Is He Able To Order A First-Round Return?
On the trade worth of Fields, ESPN First Draft’s Mel Kiper Jr. disputes this. Kiper believes that the Atlanta Falcons, who are eager for a quarterback, could be willing to give up their top selection pick to acquire Fields.
“You could get the eighth pick overall if you trade Justin Fields to Atlanta,” Kiper said. “There is a lot of flexibility for the Bears in either case, as you could have 1, 8, and [the team’s own] 9 and be able to recover a second round pick [dealt to the Washington Commanders at the trade deadline this season in exchange for Montez Sweat] by trading down with one of those two picks, either 8 or 9.
Despite Kiper’s optimism, Justin Fields has recently been the target of some really hurtful remarks. Furthermore, despite the admiration he receives from teammates and supporters, it is difficult to defend his continued employment given his below-average statistics and lack of real victories in his three seasons as a starter. Another very real reason Chicago might decide to choose Williams is that he is one year away from a massive payday via fifth year option.
The outcome of the Fields vs. Williams discussion will soon be known to the public.
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