Justin Fields

Bears Expect Justin Fields to Be QB in 2024, Per Peter King

King: Bears expect to stick with Fields in 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Bears have made some serious changes to their roster in a short amount of time. They completely reshaped their linebacker corps, added a dynamite wide receiver for Justin Fields, got him some extra protection on the offensive line, and they did it while adding a lot more draft capital, too. In a way, the Bears managed to accomplish multiple goals, no matter how 2023 goes.

First, they’ve given Fields more help as they continue to evaluate whether or not he’s going to be their quarterback for the next 10+ years. If Fields takes the next step in his growth and the Bears are comfortable moving forward with him as the face of the franchise, they’ll have ample picks to continue building around him. If Fields takes a step back, however, they’ll have enough draft picks in the war chest to make a move for a new rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams.

It’s nice to have both options available, but according to NBC’s Peter King the Bears don’t believe they’ll have to go down that second path.

“In the span of two weeks, Poles radically bolstered the offense around Justin Fields while keeping two first-round picks in the bank for next year, if he needs to think about moving on from Fields—which he doubts he’ll have to do,” King wrote in his Football Morning in America column.

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There are plenty of reasons to believe Fields can be the quarterback the Bears have searched for, for ages. There’s the obvious play-making ability with his legs. Fields set numerous rushing records in 2022, both for the Bears and in the NFL. His incredible ability to evade pass rushers also helped to create plays for others. Then there’s his arm, which is equally impressive. Fields throws one of the best deep balls in the league, and he can uncork it just as well on the move as he can in a clean pocket.

The Bears love what Fields brings off the field just as much as what he brings on the field. Teammates and coaches alike praise his work ethic and his desire to be great. The feeling is that Fields will do whatever it takes to win. Further, he’s arguably the toughest guy on the team. Fields repeatedly takes big shots, and finds a way to get back up to play another snap unless he’s seriously hurt. Fields even made a habit of doing pushups after particularly scary hits to show both his teammates and his opponents that it would take more to knock him out of a game.

Of course there are still several things Fields needs to improve upon to really cement himself as a future star. He can speed up his decision making, so that the ball gets out of his hands faster. He can improve his accuracy on short passes and screens. He needs to take better care of the football, too. It would be shocking if Fields didn’t have room to grow, though. He’s only entering his third year in the league, and only his second with the new regime. At least for now, the Bears are content to see what Fields can do with better protection and more playmakers.

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