There are a lot of rumors swirling about what the Chicago Bears are going to do ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline. Coming into the season, there was some optimism that the Bears would be more competitive this season, but that has yet to be the case.
Through Week 6, the team is 1-5, putting them squarely in the mix for the No. 1 pick again. Conventional wisdom is that they will be sellers, moving veterans with value to add more draft capital to upgrade the roster in the future.
Based on how things are trending currently, there is a chance that the Bears have the Nos. 1 and 2 overall picks, as they also own the first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. That would lead to Chicago having a lot of hard decisions to make.
One of those decisions, whether or not they should pick a quarterback, would become much easier if Justin Fields is traded before then. After passing on the chance to take his quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, general manager Ryan Poles may not be willing to do the same again in the 2024 NFL Draft.
However, the Bears may not be getting back as much value as they originally thought in a trade centered around Fields. There are reports that his value is closer to a third-round pick than a second-round pick, which further complicates things for the franchise.
Coming off the two best performances of his career in Weeks 4 and 5 against the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, many people thought the Bears could start shopping Fields. But, a thumb injury suffered against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 has thrown a wrench in those plans.
Alas, if there is a chance for the Bears to reset the clock at the quarterback position and add an elite weapon in the 2024 NFL Draft, they will have to think long and hard about pulling the trigger on a Fields trade. He wasn’t selected by the current regime in place. On top of that, owning a record of 6-25 in his career, no one would fault Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus for wanting to move in a different direction.
