Falcons' Justin Fields Trade Rumors 'Building Buzz', Says Insider
There’s no shortage of options to fill the Atlanta Falcons’ hole at starting quarterback. Whether trading up in the NFL Draft, staying put at No. 8, testing the free agent waters, or commandeering a trade is the answer, Atlanta will start anew under center in 2024.
The only question is who it will be.
No quarterback has been linked to the Falcons more often than Chicago Bears passer Justin Fields. After three seasons of unconvincing play, the Bears have the first pick and the opportunity to reset the rookie contract clock. Fields, having shown flashes of dynamite talent, is expected to be traded to a team in limbo.
Dec 31, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) scrambles away from Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) in the first half at Soldier Field.
Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta fits the bill, and the hype may not stop mounting until a deal is complete.
“I think that the Falcons, there is absolutely a building buzz among the NFL that the Falcons would be in play for Justin Fields,” Jordan Schultz said on the Zach Gelb Show. “Obviously, he’s from Gainesville, Georgia, and grew up there.”
Fields didn’t just grow up in Georgia, he went to school there – for the hometown Georgia Bulldogs – before transferring to Ohio State. Now, a homecoming opportunity could pair an incredibly talented player with the kinds of weapons he lacked in Chicago.
“When I think about Atlanta with Justin Fields, there’s something about a backfield shared by him and Bijan Robinson that really gets me fired up,” Schultz said. “I see it, you can really see how that could materialize and be something super special.”
Fields might not be the same explosive athlete that Michael Vick was two decades ago, but his brand of athleticism is special and sets him apart – even from quarterbacks like Desmond Ridder who ran for 193 yards and five scores in 2023. His ability to make defenses work for every stop is a legitimate tool, even if inconsistencies as a passer mitigate his impact.
Of course, it takes two to trade, and Schultz is confident in Chicago moving on from Fields after three seasons. Fields’ development would likely have bought him time for other organizations, but when blue-chip quarterback prospects are readily available, things change.
“I think Chicago is in a position where it’s probably more than likely they’re going to reset the clock, get Caleb Williams No. 1, maybe get another wide receiver to complement D.J. Moore, and then build their roster out from there,” Schultz said. “But they have so many needs.
“And it’s my understanding that Fields at this point probably commands a late first-round pick so you can get real value for him and ideally allow him to restart his career somewhere else.”
It is unclear whether the Falcons will have to deal their second-round pick, next year’s first, or something in between. A high asking price may force their hand to another veteran, or a rising prospect like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Even so, the possibility of Fields suiting up in Atlanta is real.
So is the upside that comes with it.
“I still believe that Justin Fields’ talent is so robust and in the right system with the right coordinator, he could be a super special quarterback,” Schultz said. “He just hasn’t had it there.”
