The Chicago Bears are approaching a deadline for their franchise-altering quarterback decision. While they haven’t made a decision yet, the expectation is they’re going to trade Justin Fields and draft Caleb Williams at first overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
Earlier this week, it sounded like a Fields trade was going to manifest quickly with the Atlanta Falcons showing strong interest. But things changed this week at the NFL Scouting Combine, where we might have to wait a few weeks for a trade to happen.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Bears might have to wait for a Fields trade market to develop. Russini noted his market “is soft for now” and that it was “hard to find strong interest from any team.”
But she did note that’s more circumstance than anything given everyone knows the Bears are going to move on from Fields at this point. So why would they overpay for his services?
The team spent most of the week gauging interest around the league to evaluate his value. The Bears may need movement in the veteran quarterback market, which includes Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield, before interested teams get into serious discussions with the Bears for Fields.
Though I expect the demand for Fields to be robust, knowing teams like the Raiders, Broncos, Steelers and Falcons are all in search of a quarterback, it appears his market is soft for now. It was hard to find strong interest from any team. One NFC general manager explained the problem with the current timing: “When people know you are getting rid of something, they don’t pay as much for it.”
While Chicago might have their quarterback plan finalized before free agency, it sounds like they’ll need to wait for a couple of dominoes to fall in Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield during free agency in less than two weeks.
Russini noted she expects “the demand for Fields to be robust” and noted quarterback-needy teams who could be interested, including the Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos.
General manager Ryan Poles said he wanted to “do right” by Fields and understands “no one wants to live in the gray area.” And while Poles might have Fields’ best interests at heart, there are still plenty of questions about the young QB’s future.