The argument for Fields NOT being "Elite" and keeping him anyway.

[dennehy]

You calling someone stupid is like Roseanne Barr calling someone ugly.

Wow, this is unreal stupid.

 

[dennehy]

I would have to check but I'm guessing Hurts has more wins with the loaded roster he has. I think the Eagles would have
close to the same number of wins with Fields since he's a better QB.

You claim to watch a ton of football every weekend and you would have to check to see if Hurts has a better record than Fields?

 

[MakeMyDay]

You must not watch a lot of games, I see all QB's miss as many or more wide open receivers as JF does, really. Watch some games
or open your eyes.

I would have to check but I'm guessing Hurts has more wins with the loaded roster he has. I think the Eagles would have
close to the same number of wins with Fields since he's a better QB.

Pure comedy gold here - @dennehy

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1729923873691328538

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1729501708521283884

 

[inchibearfan]

I would have to check but I'm guessing Hurts has more wins with the loaded roster he has. I think the Eagles would have
close to the same number of wins with Fields since he's a better QB.

This has to be a joke.

 

[Probie2429]

The top QBs in the league currently were not number 1 picks. Trevor Lawrence is good but not in the top echelon just yet. Burrow can be hit or miss but he tends to save his best ball for the playoffs. He’s also now suffered two season ending injuries. Bryce Young still too early to tell but his team stinks so hard to judge.

I’d roll with Fields and use the number 1 pick to build up the team around him. It’s really hard to evaluate any QB when the center position has been neglected ever since Kreutz retired. I think you move to sign Fields now to a 4-5 year deal. Get him a little under market rate due to some inconsistency thus far. My guess though is Justin will want to bet on himself next year heading towards FA if the Bears decline the 5th year.

 

[Bust]

Mad Dog ranting the Chicago Bears have 5 primetime slots, lol

"nobody in america wants to watch the Bears" Ouch!@

 

[modo]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1729877779074970064

Bears have to get better a center...it can't be another journeyman

 

[Neckbeard]

I mean I’m just looking for back to back wins.

Definitely. They have to actually win 2 in a row to get anywhere in the future. Even to mediocrity.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

 

[I Just Want To Read]

You kids and your yardage

I'm more concerned about YPA, which they were pretty close in their rookie year

I see your point, but I think Fields has problems with volume/scaling up. If defenses know he's going to pass, they can set up a bunch of zone looks, and things get dicey for Fields.

Fields is best as a passer when it's more 50/50 with run calls because play-action becomes more potent. When the defense knows he's going to pass, I think his effectiveness falls pretty significantly.

 

[Anytime23]

In the interview after the game, he seemed to think he played pretty well. That was a bit puzzling. I mean, he did win the game there but most QBs probably wouldn't be that happy with that game.

Probably is meaningless what anyone says when there's a mic in front of them but still surprised me.

He said he thinks he played alright and followed that up by mentioning the throws he missed and the fumbles.

 

[inchibearfan]

You kids and your yardage

I'm more concerned about YPA, which they were pretty close in their rookie year

When Fields has to throw due to being behind, he plays much worse. That is why they do not have Fields make 30 to 40 passing attempts per game.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

When Fields has to throw due to being behind, he plays much worse. That is why they do not have Fields make 30 to 40 passing attempts per game.

When Fields has to throw due to being behind, Luke Getsy abandons 12 personnel (which is where the Bears have the most success and also the offensive line has help blocking) and instead goes to 11 personnel with no added help on blocks.

Getsy is literally setting up the offense to fail.

 

[Sculpt]

Not saying that mediocrity is something to strive for.

But at some point, rather than getting caught up in hype, it's time to look at the objective facts.

The facts on Fields right now are as follows:

Pros -
* Elite deep ball
* Big Game Hunter
* Very coachable in the sense that he always tries to do what his coaches tell him
* Elite Speed and escabability
* Elite run threat
* Has shown improvement in areas of his game, such as short passes and at times, releasing the ball quicker.
* Will step up in pocket when given a pocket to step up into
* Won his last game from the pocket when it mattered
* Improving on getting rid of the ball

Negatives -
* Too. Many. Fumbles.
* Indecisive at times, else waits too long for something to develop, which has caused him to take bad sacks
* Has in the past forced the ball in places where he shouldn't with game on the line
* Inconsistent under pressure

Mitigating Factors -
* Has had back to back terrible offensive coordinators who each have tried to force Fields into the QB they want rather than building an offense around his unique skill sets
* Until this year, has played behind horrendous offensive lines, giving him no time and helping create an illusion that he always holds onto the ball too long, where the problem is really more sporadic
* Until this year, had not a lot around him to help him develop other than Kmet and Mooney.
* Because coaches are constantly trying to change him, has stated he was playing robotic and not fluid earlier in the year.
* It is still unclear whether Fields can't see the middle of the field or can completely read defenses because of the terrible offensive coordinators Fields has had - it's made an honest evaluation of this part almost impossible, because his current OC coaches his QBs to not throw to the middle of the field. This is proven by pass charts for not only Fields but also Tyson Bagent, and if you look at Nathaniel Hackett, he does the same thing with his quarterbacks in NY and did when he was head coach in Denver. The passing charts do not lie on this one.


So, being honest, Fields has some good traits, some bad ones, and some things that have been completely out of his control.

Yet, the loudest reason I keep hearing for the Bears to draft a new quarterback all seem to come from some sort of twisted FOMO:

"OMG the Bears will have the #1 over all pick! You HAVE to take a quarterback if you have the number one over all pick. Did you know the Bears might have the number one overall pick? Quarterback! Quarterback! Quarterback!"

Honestly, it seems like the people acting like this (and getting mad hateful and defensive when you poke holes in it) are more addicted to the adrenaline rush of drafting a quarterback with the #1 overall pick than they are in the practical matter that comes after that.

What practical matter?

* A new rookie QB resets the clock on everyone and you likely aren't going to be doing anything amazing year 1 as he learns.
* QBs have a very high bust rate and once the rush dies down and the rookie gets into camp, what if all the amazing things he did in college he can't do in the NFL because players are better and defensive coaches generally are smarter? If your QB Jesus busts, you have now wasted years of development at other positions.
* Even if the QB isn't a bust outright, he might not be great. He might just be ok. Carson Palmer comes to mind. Drafting a QB first overall doesn't guarantee anything.

Which brings me to Fields.

He isn't perfect, but he is still improving and has been in ill-fitting offensive systems his whole NFL career. He needs an offense with more slants, more moving and rolling pockets - hell, basically a Shannahan style offense.

You get him that and surround him with talent, and Fields, with the positives I already mentioned, can definitely perform RIGHT AWAY. You start getting wins and contending for the playoffs in 2024, with the way this defense and offensive line has come on. Add a pass rusher, add a center from free agency and another from the draft, give Fields another weapon, and give him a better offensive system that fits HIM rather than trying to change him to fit whatever the current crap OC wants, and now you actually have something that is going to win a lot of games.

I know this will never convince the people who need to see something happen first before they believe it, but for those who pay attention, like those who saw our secondary was playing really well earlier in the year despite the defensive issues and knew a pass rusher or two would unlock this defense, those types of people who actually understand football will get what I am saying.

I think it is more beneficial to keep Fields, full stop, warts and all, rather than going with some rookie QB who has faded down the stretch of their college football season, taking your pick of who you think I am talking about, because it could be either.

At least Fields has positive qualities proven on an NFL level that make him a QB you can win with, and occasionally because of.

The future draft picks aren't in the NFL yet, so they haven't proven shit.

A bird in the hand....

Interesting takes.

With Bears unique draft and $ position, it MAY be best to draft the best QB and keep Fields.

Why? One first has to understand the QB is BY FAR the most valuable position. Teams have more than one QB, and a rookie contract helps make that affordable. Packers had Farve and Rogers. It wasn't wasteful, it was effective.

The QB position has cycles. With Tom Brady, Patriots drafted 2nd Rd Garoppolo. He was a valuable backup for years. If Brady had crumbled, they would have moved to Jimmy. Brady was cool, so after a few years they traded Garoppolo for a 2nd Rd. This is called the correct use of value, risk and timing.

Let's just say last Monday night was Game 17. Fields is too inconsistent, though that may change. A rookie is no slam dunk either. Bears are still pursuing a consistently good QB. They are in a very good position to correctly set themselves up with a top rookie-contract QB prospect, while also taking a fair risk at seeing Fields become the Bears' consistently good QB.

If they both succeed, Jackpot! Bears can trade one for draft capital; grab another top draft prospect. Repeat.

What about creating an excellent team situation for a QB? Keep bettering your team at every position: coach and player. Just keep doing the QB position the correct way.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Interesting takes.

With Bears unique draft and $ position, it MAY be best to draft the best QB and keep Fields.

Why? One first has to understand the QB is BY FAR the most valuable position. Teams have more than one QB, and a rookie contract helps make that affordable. Packers had Farve and Rogers. It wasn't wasteful, it was effective.

The QB position has cycles. With Tom Brady, Patriots drafted 2nd Rd Garoppolo. He was a valuable backup for years. If Brady had crumbled, they would have moved to Jimmy. Brady was cool, so after a few years they traded Garoppolo for a 2nd Rd. This is called the correct use of value, risk and timing.

Let's just say last Monday night was Game 17. Fields is too inconsistent, though that may change. A rookie is no slam dunk either. Bears are still pursuing a consistently good QB. They are in a very good position to correctly set themselves up with a top rookie-contract QB prospect, while also taking a fair risk at seeing Fields become the Bears' consistently good QB.

If they both succeed, Jackpot! Bears can trade one for draft capital; grab another top draft prospect. Repeat.

What about creating an excellent team situation for a QB? Keep bettering your team at every position: coach and player. Just keep doing the QB position the correct way.

I've heard this take before, from Olin Kreutz.

Here's the issue with it. By drafting a QB who may not be your answer, if Fields outplays him, you took a pick you could have used to get another absolute haul for, and spent it on the QB.

I would argue that the haul the number 1 overall pick brings back is more important than a QB in this case, because if Poles can land another draft like the one he just did, there is no reason the Bears shouldn't be competing for a playoff spot next year.

You are better off getting a haul and building around Fields - just make sure whatever haul you get, you get a 2025 1st round pick back - that keeps the powder dry and allows a pivot from Fields to a QB in 2025.

 

[onebud34]

I see your point, but I think Fields has problems with volume/scaling up. If defenses know he's going to pass, they can set up a bunch of zone looks, and things get dicey for Fields.

Fields is best as a passer when it's more 50/50 with run calls because play-action becomes more potent. When the defense knows he's going to pass, I think his effectiveness falls pretty significantly.

I can see that too, some of this due to coaching and playcalling. Some is just bad habits too by Fields.

 

[onebud34]

When Fields has to throw due to being behind, he plays much worse. That is why they do not have Fields make 30 to 40 passing attempts per game.

One of them being this past Monday Night

 

[Chicago4Life]

cant wait to see the meltdown on this board when fields is traded away