Let’s start with this: The Chicago Bears should absolutely not trade Justin Fields.
It would be a terrible, nonsensical decision on their part.
But hey, when has that stopped an NFL team from doing such a thing?
The league has been making bad decisions at the quarterback position for decades now, so what’s one more?
The Bears currently own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and are in the rare position of not needing to spend that selection on a franchise quarterback. Two years ago, they made the wise decision to trade up nine spots in the first round to land Fields with the No. 11 pick, while the likes of Zach Wilson and Trey Lance went in the top three of that draft, just after Trevor Lawrence.
After a lost rookie season thanks to coaching malpractice and a dreadful supporting cast, Fields showed flashes of brilliance in 2022, despite the fact that only the coaching part of that equation improved. He heads into 2023 primed for a breakout campaign, and the Bears are loaded with enough resources to give him the supporting cast he deserves.
That said, there are those who believe the Bears could be convinced to trade away Fields, and spend the No. 1 overall pick on one of this year’s top quarterback prospects, such as Alabama’s Bryce Young. If they happen to take that ill-advised route (no shade to Young, who is worth the pick), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be wise to take Fields off their hands.
Who knows what the Bears would be looking for in return for Fields, but if I’m the Bucs, I would easily trade this year’s first-round pick (No. 19 overall) for the former Ohio State star in a heartbeat. It should cost more than that, and be willing to add more to the equation, but it would be a no-brainer if Chicago were willing to take that pick in return.
Tampa Bay appears headed for the early stages of QB Purgatory after Tom Brady’s retirement. Kyle Trask is the only quarterback currently under contract for 2023, and their salary cap situation will likely keep them from being in the market for top veterans like Derek Carr or even Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency. That could leave them choosing between Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett and the like to compete with Trask this season.
That No. 19 pick is also way too low to have a shot at any of this year’s top quarterback prospects. Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis are likely to be long gone at that point. If one of them gets close enough, like Fields did for Chicago in 2021, they could make a short move up the board, but that seems unlikely at this point.
Fields has a rare skill set that few in the NFL can match, along with limitless potential heading into his third season. Were he to come to Tampa Bay, he’d immediately have the best supporting cast he’s ever had in the NFL by a long shot, with two elite wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and an offensive line that features All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs and Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen.
If there’s even the slightest chance the Bears could be tempted to part with him for a first-round pick, and perhaps even more, the Bucs should be on the phone right now trying to make it happen.
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