Bear Digest

Intensity of the Justin Fields Watch Increases

Analysis: Many analysts now see Justin Fields' departure as inevitable and only a matter of what team makes the trade.
Gene Chamberlain|
Intensity of the Justin Fields Watch Increases
Intensity of the Justin Fields Watch Increases

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Chicago Bears

The Justin Fields watch is centering more and more on his home town of Atlanta as the frenzy on Friday hit what could best be called a feverish or even emotional pitch.

No one is reporting a trade yet or the certainty of it, but the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and SI.com's Albert Breer have all said within the last few days they anticipate one. Again, these were opinions and not reports but informed ones. It has nearly become adopted as fact to the point where the question is where and not so much if.

The reason the possibility looks more and more like Atlanta as a target for a trade is the dwindling well of quarterback needy teams after reports last week that Pittsburgh would not be interested.

A report by Gerry Dulac saying this was criticized as shaky by some of the Steelers' followers but the logic behind such a decision is very sound. It was pointed out by FanNation's Falcons Report. Jeremy Brener wrote that new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was never a fan of Justin Fields.

NFL Network analyst Steve Wyche referred to the 2021 draft to back up this thought.

"This conversation about the Steelers continues to intrigue me because Arthur Smith, when he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he wanted no parts of Justin Fields," Wyche commented on NFL Network's "The NFL Report." "He had the possibility to draft him. They took Kyle Pitts. 

:Why now, all of sudden, would the head coach who designed the offense be taking a liking to Justin Fields?"

Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson said a source told him the Steelers are going to sign Russell Wilson once he is cut by Denver and won't pursue a trade for a quarterback.

So Atlanta looks like more of a target, unless another team like possibly New England would be interested.

ESPN’s Mina Kimes and NFL insider Field Yates suggested this possibility and other media-generated rumors have also talked about it.

However, New England has a new offensive coordinator in Alex Van Pelt and he coached on teams that faced Fields twice in the last three years. He witnessed some very poor efforts from the Bears QB. Fields went 25 of 60 for 234 yards with a TD, two interceptions, 12 sacks and two fumbles for a passer rating of 44.72 in those games.

Besides, offensive coordinators normally like working with the very young and promising prospect over one without a lot of success for three seasons and the Patriots are well situated to get either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels at No. 3 overall.

New England might be a better choice for the Bears to send Fields to because the Patriots have an early second-round pick and early third-round pick in this draft when it comes to discussing the deal. But the Patriots have their own unsuccessful passer from the 2021 draft in Mac Jones and seeing them focus on another one over two potentially strong prospects like Maye and Daniels seems unlikely.

The clock is ticking on the Fields trade for GM Ryan Poles because the potential trade partners will reduce as time goes beyond the scouting combine.

SI.com's Breer told ESPN AM-1000 listeners as much during a radio appearance with David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood on Friday.

"I think the bones of the trade will be set next week," Breer said regarding the combine. "And remember, this coming week at the combine, that's when the ball really started rolling on trading the No. 1 overall pick last year so I'd expect whatever the plan is the execution of it really kind of gets going next week."

Breer summed up the feelings of all those who see the trade as inevitable.

"I think, as we've talked about over the last six months or so, you know, the circumstance is just a really weird one where you wind up with some other team's pick and that team winds up being the worst team in the league and there's a generational quarterback coming out this year, and you have a chance to reset the rookie contract for a quarterback clock," Breer told Kap & JHood. "And you just start to put these pieces together and it becomes less and less a question of what they're going to do, you know? 

"So if Justin had become Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen or Joe Burrow or any of these guys we'd be having a different conversation. That doesn't mean he's not a good player. It's just that he's not a great player right now and there's a chance there to get a great player and get a great player at a really good rate for the next four years."

It was Kaplan where the emotion and wrath of Bears/Fields fans was directed after he said the move by the Bears QB to take the teamoff his Instagram account was a "coward's way out."

The comment met with a horde of negative responses on social media directed at Kaplan.

It seems it's been this way on social media with Bears/Fields followers and Williams backers throughout the entire last month of the season, through the playoffs and now in the last two weeks since the Super Bowl ended.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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