The Chicago Bears are expected to trade quarterback Justin Fields and then take USC’s Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick this offseason, but it may not be that easy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter says there is some conflict within the Bears’ organization concerning Fields.
“I think there are people within that organization that would like to see him stay there,” Schefter said during a recent appearance on NFL Live. “Which is just one more little wrench to throw in there. A lot going on with Justin Fields. It should be sorted out here in the next week.”
So, is there a chance that Chicago actually keeps Fields?
It doesn’t seem very likely.
It would be very surprising if the Bears ended up passing on Williams in the NFL Draft next month, and the chances of Chicago taking Williams and still keeping Fields on the roster seem slim to none.
As Beth Mishler-Elmore of Heavy.com points out, this could very well be a smokescreen on the part of the Bears to try and build Fields’ trade value, which apparently isn’t very high. Or at least not as high as Chicago had initially hoped.
Fields, who played his collegiate football at Ohio State, was selected by the Bears with the 11th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
His tenure with Chicago has largely been defined by inconsistency.
The 25-year-old has certainly shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in this past season. However, Fields has not done it consistently enough to warrant the Bears labeling him their quarterback of the future.
This past season, Fields played in 13 games and threw for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 86.3. He also rushed for 657 yards and four scores. He missed four contests due to a dislocated thumb.
Numerous teams have been mentioned as possible suitors for Justin Fields, but it seems like the Bears are not too satisfied with the potential returns thus far.
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