INDIANAPOLIS — It certainly seems Justin Fields’ days in Chicago are waning, with the Bears set to draft a quarterback and move on from their three-year starter.
And when they do part ways, Fields will help the Bears one last time on his way out. The Athletic polled eight team executives and coaches this week to gauge Fields’ trade value, and they all believed the Bears would net a quality asset before ultimately selecting USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in April.
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The majority opinion is the Bears would corral a second- or third-round pick, but there was some variation in those responses. One executive said he’d be worth a second-rounder or its equivalent value in a package of a third- and fifth-round pick.
Two other executives thought the return would be a second- or third-rounder, depending where the selection is in the round. Another believed it could be a 2025 third-round pick that could become a second-rounder based on certain statistical benchmarks.
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The lowest value came from a coach who would only give up a third-round pick. There was also an executive who predicted he’d net a second-rounder but admitted that would be too much for his own team to surrender.
“There’s a reason they’re moving on,” an executive pointed out.
Fields’ critics in this exercise said he still needs to improve his field vision to anticipate his throws, and the 2021 first-rounder’s inconsistent accuracy remains a concern. Fields finished with a career-high 61.4 completion percentage last season, and he’s got 6,674 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in his career.
There was one outlier from a coach who thought the Bears could get a first-round pick.
“Supply and demand,” the coach said.
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Fields, who turns 25 next week, still has plenty of talent, including his high-level abilities as a runner (2,220 career yards and 14 touchdowns) and scrambler. It’s also necessary to point out that Fields has had two head coaches and two offensive coordinators in three seasons, as the Bears have been mired in an extensive rebuild with limited help around their quarterback. It’s tough to envision many QBs sustaining success in those circumstances.
For a team to acquire Fields, one executive said, they’d need to commit to a plan to maximize his strengths. His next team can’t force him to adjust to its offensive system, which is a common way to stunt a young quarterback’s development.
“They’ll have to run the ball, let him run and make sure he’s got more help around him,” the executive said. “Then they can let him develop over time.”
Fields’ contract is also a factor. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and his new team will have to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option for the 2025 season, which is projected to be about $25.7 million, according to Over The Cap.
If Fields shows promise next season, that figure in 2025 will be a bargain. If he fizzles, the cap figure will clog up the books.
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And assuming a team is willing to trade a second-round pick for Fields, it’s fair to believe it will be confident in his ability to be more than a one-year starter, which means the option should be exercised.
There’s also that supply-and-demand factor. The Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are expected to be in play for quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels early in the draft. The Minnesota Vikings (Kirk Cousins) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Baker Mayfield) have starters who are scheduled to hit free agency, though it makes more sense for those pairings to remain together. The Denver Broncos are likely on the verge of splitting with Russell Wilson.
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That could leave the Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons as Fields’ suitors. Then again, it’s also plausible those teams prefer a former starter in free agency such as Jimmy Garoppolo (not the Raiders, of course), Ryan Tannehill, Joe Flacco, Jacoby Brissett or even Wilson. Or they could defer to the draft and attempt to target J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. One executive even thought Commanders quarterback Sam Howell could be a desirable trade option.
There are pros and cons with each option, and quarterback-needy teams will undoubtedly have varying opinions on which player’s style is best suited for their system. But as that’s all sorted out, it’s becoming clear Fields has real trade value for the Bears.
(Photo: John Fisher / Getty Images)
