Why The New Orleans Saints Could Be A Darkhorse Contender To Land Justin Fields
The Chicago Bears are openly trying to trade QB Justin Fields. Possessing the first overall draft pick, the Bears are almost certainly targeting a quarterback, likely USC QB Caleb Williams. As a result, Chicago is trying to move Fields, who they selected with the Number 11 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.
Ideally, the Bears would like to trade Fields early into the free agency process, which officially begins on March 13. Chicago could expect a first round draft choice in return. However, the general consensus is that the Bears will ask for a second round choice and either another pick late in Day 2 or early in Day 3 or a top-tier starter. Rumors have linked the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons as early favorites to land Fields. Other quarterback-needy teams, such as the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington, or New England Patriots could also be in play.
The New Orleans Saints are not in the category of a quarterback-needy team. Derek Carr is the unquestioned starter for at least next season. While not a top-tier quarterback, Carr played much better down the stretch of last year and is at least in the upper half of the league's passers.
Carr will turn 33 this offseason and is entering his 11th NFL season. With Jameis Winston heading towards free agency and Jake Haener unproven, the Saints will likely look to bring in a backup with some starting experience.
Make no mistake, the Saints will NOT be trading a Day 1 draft pick, a Day 2 draft pick, and/or one of their top-level starters to acquire Fields. However, if the trade market for him drops significantly, then New Orleans might be interested in parting with a later draft choice to get him.
Why the Saints could have interest in Justin Fields.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) rushes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY
There are familiar ties here. New Saints QB coach Andrew Janocko coached Fields in Chicago for two of his three seasons. There's also the Ohio State connection, one which New Orleans has many ties. Current Saints WR Chris Olave was the Buckeyes leading receiver in 2019 and 2020. His quarterback for those two years -- Justin Fields.
Just 25 years old, Fields still has great upside. As a pro, he's been much more dynamic with his legs than his arm. Fields has 2,220 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns in three years, including 1,143 yards and eight scores in 2022.
As a passer, Fields has completed only 60.3% of his throws for 6,674 yards with 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He's been held to less than 200 yards passing in 25 of his 40 starts, with only one 300-yard outing to his resume'.
Remember that Chicago has had one of the NFL's worst rosters since drafting Fields. The Bears traded for WR D.J. Moore last offseason, part of the package that allowed them to have this year's Number 1 overall pick. Tight end Cole Kmet has also shown some promise. Outside of that, the Bears have done a poor job at surrounding their quarterback with quality weapons and have had an equally abysmal offensive line.
Fields is still on his rookie contract. However, the team that trades for him will have to make a quick decision on whether to pick up his fifth-year option for 2025. For a team like New Orleans, Fields would be just a slight hit to their salary cap while providing an experienced backup option to Derek Carr. If the Saints see enough upside in him after a potential trade, then they'd have the option to either pick up his fifth-year option or negotiate a long-term deal as a potential replacement for Carr if he struggles in his second year as the New Orleans starter.
Why the Saints shouldn't have interest in Justin Fields.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY
Fields has shown little progress as a passer and continues to struggle reading defenses and going through his progressions after three years. His 61.4% completion percentage and 2,562 passing yards last season were both the best of his young career. Those still aren't the numbers necessary for a franchise quarterback, regardless of the lack of talent around him.
Again, there is no way that the Saints would even consider paying Chicago's initial asking price in a trade. They can't. New Orleans has their starting quarterback and has far too many needs throughout the rest of their roster to part with a high draft pick to get a developmental backup in return. There are a lot of jobs on the line dependant on the success of this season.
Familiarity does not necessarily mean that the Saints will be interested in Fields. In two years with Fields and Janocko, the Bears ranked 32nd in passing production in 2022 and 27th in 2023. Janocko, along with other offensive assistants, were fired at the conclusion of the year. Yes, there is a working relationship between the two. However, Fields' lack of development in those two years could easily deter the Saints from taking another chance with the Fields-Janocko connection.
The asking price for Justin Fields would need to significantly drop for the Saints to have even the slightest interest. Even if that happens, New Orleans would be wise to hold on to all their draft picks to bolster depth or use in a trade package for other pieces that would immediately help their team.
