When the Chicago Bears selected Justin Fields with the 11th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, they likely had no idea that they were laying claim to a quarterback who would become one of the most polarizing players in the entire league.
San Francisco's Nick Bosa called Fields “probably the best running quarterback I've ever seen.” Some analysts think Fields' legs are as good as Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson, and other elite names from the history of the sport. He already holds the all-time record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (178) in a regular-season game.
On the other hand, the Bears have won a total of 16 games in Fields' three seasons, and PFF graded him as the No. 20 NFL quarterback in 2023 – behind Geno Smith, Jake Browning, Russell Wilson, and Derek Carr.'
Is Fields the savior of the Bears? Or is he just trade bait for another team before the Bears take a potentially elite quarterback in the next NFL Draft? For now, those questions remain unanswered, but the end of his rookie contract is quickly approaching.