The latest buzz surrounding Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been confusing, to say the least over the last couple of days. Earlier on Saturday, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that there isn’t much of a trade market for the electric quarterback, calling it “soft for now.” But that’s not what another NFL insider is saying.
According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the Bears are close to finalizing a deal that would send Fields to the Atlanta Falcons. Pauline isn’t sure if something will be announced before the NFL Combine ends this weekend and doesn’t list any sort of compensation the Bears would receive in return. He also indicates that if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, the Falcons will focus on landing veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield in free agency. Atlanta has been the presumed favorite to land Fields in a deal for the last week or so, though Russini’s report indicates it has been “hard to find strong interest from any team.”
It’s become clear the Bears are gearing up to move on from Fields and select a quarterback at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft, likely Caleb Williams. General manager Ryan Poles told reporters last week that if they were to move on from Fields, they would want to do so sooner rather than later. A deal has to make sense for Chicago, though, and perhaps they’re not seeing the return they want in a possible trade. With other quarterback options waiting in the wings, Poles may need to take a deal that isn’t as lucrative if he wants to stick to his timeline. Otherwise, the Bears may need to hold onto Fields to try and maximize his value.
Fields’ future continues to hang in the balance, but if Pauline’s report is correct, the mystery could be over soon.