There have been a lot of discussions in recent weeks about the future of Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. Those talks are only going to get louder as we approach the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Bears look like they will be in a position to select one of the top quarterback prospects.
Regardless of how Chicago plays the remainder of the season, their chances of landing the No. 1 pick increase weekly. That is because they own the first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers, who are now 1-12 on the season and moving closer and closer to locking in the worst record in the NFL.
That will put the Bears in an interesting position for the second straight year. In the 2023 offseason, they opted against picking a quarterback, sticking with Fields for at least one more season. Will they make the same decision two years in a row?
The Bears have been finding more success recently, as they are 5-4 since starting the season 0-4. A big reason for that success has been the level of play from Fields, who is outperforming some of his peers in three major stats.
According to NFL on CBS on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fields’ passer rating of 91.8 is higher than Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. Burrow signed the largest extension in NFL history this offseason while Lawrence is considered the face of the franchise for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The passing touchdown/interception ratio of 2.2 that Fields has produced is better than that of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. His 50.9 rushing yards per game is also more than Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson, two of the premier dual-threats in the NFL.
Fields certainly possess the skill set to be one of the more dynamic players at the position in the NFL. As the front office has improved the supporting cast around him, Fields has seen his production take a step in the right direction.
It certainly won’t be easy to move on from Fields in the offseason, especially if the team finishes the season on a high note and sticks around in the playoff race playing meaningful football in December. However, the chance to bring in their own guy at quarterback, while resetting the contract at the position has to be enticing for general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus.
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