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The Chicago Bears confirmed in a statement last night that they would be shipping their former quarterback Justin Fields over to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick - a move that will free up a spot for them to draft USC’s Caleb Williams with the number one pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Fields was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, where he struggled as a rookie under former Bears coach Matt Nagy.
Fields had a lot of momentum behind him following two massive seasons at Ohio State University, where he led the team to a 20-2 record throughout two seasons and shattered numerous records. However, he struggled to carry the same level of performance over to the big leagues.
Fields was always a rushing-dominant, two-way quarterback, which was evident through the throwing numbers he put up in Chicago. Although he made some massive running plays, he never grew into the passer the Bears had hoped for.
Throughout his three-year stint in Chicago, Fields would throw for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. On top of those less-than-mediocre stats, Fields would only manage to post one 300-yard passing game across that three-year stint as well.
With Fields, the Bears put up a record of 11-29. However, the downfall of the Bears is not really at the fault of Fields and Fields alone. The Bears organization failed to ever give Justin Fields any real help in terms of receivers, running backs, or most importantly an offensive line, as Fields was sacked 135 times with the Bears.
Now, with no Fields for next season, the Bears will most likely use their number one draft pick to snatch up a promising quarterback from the draft, who the Bears will hope can be the face of the franchise.
That quarterback is almost guaranteed to be USC’s Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Award winner, and one of the greatest quarterback prospects the NFL has seen in years.
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Caleb Williams is a 22-year-old, elite-level talent with a canon of an arm, who has played at the highest standard in terms of performance throughout his years as a Trojan.
The six-foot-one, 215-pound quarterback has easily been the best signal-caller in all of college football over the past two seasons, dominating the field and proving that there isn’t much he can’t do with a somewhat competent offence.
With his top-tier arm, elite-level playmaking ability both inside and outside the pocket, high-level accuracy, and high-level athleticism, Williams can operate in any NFL offence and be a dynamic quarterback who could turn a franchise like the Bears back to winning ways.
His high level of pocket awareness allows him to be an escape artist who keeps his eyes down the field while looking for big plays. When those big plays aren’t open downfield, Williams can easily take it himself and make something happen on his feet.
Williams’ traits and playmaking abilities led him to put up some of the most absurd numbers college football has ever seen throughout a two-year period. Throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Williams threw for 8,170 yards, 72 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.
He also ran for another 21 touchdowns himself, bringing his two-year total up to an astounding 93 touchdowns. For his 2022 performance, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy for breaking numerous college football records, including 4,500 yards and 52 total touchdowns, a single-season school record.
These two seasons are exactly why Williams is projected to be the number-one pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which is where he will probably take over for Justin Field on the Chicago Bears. Williams is exactly what the Bears need. A dominant quarterback who can throw the ball and run it, who also excels in a leadership position.
The Bears have even made some off-season moves in what seems to be their version of preparing for the arrival of Caleb Williams. They signed former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, in a blockbuster move that took the NFL world by storm.
Allen just came off his best season with the Chargers, proving that he is still one of the best receivers in the league. He will be an ideal match with Williams, and the two could make for one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the league.
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Although Fields is essentially getting shipped off because the Bears believe they have a better candidate potentially coming in, he will be in a much better position for his career trajectory with the Steelers than he was with the Bears.
Fields will have the opportunity to play under Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, who just got signed to a veteran minimum contract with the Steelers in free agency.
Instead of the two competing for the starting spot, Fields will have the opportunity to learn from Wilson and develop under him. While yes, Fields already has NFL experience, learning under a player of Russ’ calibre can never hurt.
Williams is likely be taking Fields’ place on the Bears, he will also be in the best possible situation a first-overall pick could ask for. As the Bears chose to make some much-needed moves over free agency which included signing one of the league’s best receivers, Williams will have some nice pieces to work with. Moreover, Williams’ football abilities could easily complement any offence, so the players the Bears recently signed are just a bonus.
It will be interesting to see how both quarterbacks perform with their new squads. Both are extremely talented and deserve to be in the positions they are now. All that a football fan could hope for now is that they stay healthy, and thrive in their new homes.
Edited By: Ayantika Ghosh
