Fields slides, Bears trade up
Most Vikings fans know the Chicago Bears are hopeless when it comes to finding a competent quarterback. Over the last 10 seasons, the Bears passing attack has been led by the likes of Jay Cutler, Jimmy Clausen, Mitchell Trubisky and this year’s punchline, Andy Dalton.
Despite entering contests with a slew of forgettable signal-callers, Chicago’s defenses and supporting offensive casts have found ways to deliver frustrating losses to Minnesota each year since 2018.
With wide receiver Allen Robinson returning to the Bears for another season and the emergence of Darnell Mooney starting to turn heads, former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields would give them a passer with potential that far exceeds any of his predecessors.
Several draft analysts around the league, including NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, believe Alabama quarterback Mac Jones could be the third passer off the board after Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson. If this happens, it could trigger a short slide for Fields and provide the Bears with an opportunity to move up.
Certainly, Chicago would need to offer significant compensation to move up from their current spot at pick No. 20 in the first round. But earlier this offseason, the Bears reportedly took a big swing at landing current Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson. The Seahawks wisely declined the offer and the Bears signed former Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton instead.
The Dalton signing and the presence of Nick Foles doesn’t necessarily take Chicago out of the quarterback market this year. The Bears drafting Fields could be the long-term answer under center the Vikings hope they don’t find.