Justin Fields’ next destination should be…
A divorce between Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears feels inevitable at this point. It should have never been as much of a debate that it was over the last few months whether or not the Bears should trade Fields when it became evident the Bears would end up with the first overall pick of the upcoming NFL Draft.
Fields just completed his third season in the NFL, which means the Bears would have to think about his long-term contract if he was to stay. There is no way after what we have seen from him thus far that they should be comfortable making a significant commitment to him.
In the decision-making process of whether they should trade Fields, who is available is a major factor. This year’s draft isn’t like the 2022 draft where the quarterback position was pretty much devoid of talent. Apart from “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy of course. The Bears have the first pick in a draft that has a generational talent like Caleb Williams.
Despite the reasons for why the Bears should trade Fields, that doesn’t mean he isn’t worth taking a flier on by another team. He is a physical specimen, with a big arm and an elite runner at the quarterback position. Here are three teams I think would be a good fit for the former Ohio State Buckeye.
Atlanta Falcons
This seems to be where a lot of people think he will land, and it makes sense. It would be a homecoming for the Georgia native. He would also be joining a young and talented group of offensive skill position players such as Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts, that have underachieved thus far in their careers relative to where they were drafted.
Apart from the Carolina Panthers, there is very little separating the other three teams in the NFC South. The Falcons have a talented roster and it is easy to envision a world where new head coach Raheem Morris brings positive energy to the building and he and his coaches get the best of their young talent.
Pittsburgh Steelers
This is another team with a lot of talented offensive pieces for Fields to work with. With guys like George Pickens and Diontae Johnson on the outside and a solid tight end like Pat Freiermuth, he would have good pass catchers. There would also be the potential for them to have a dangerous running game. Fields is already a great runner. That combined with Arthur Smith calling the plays for Fields and the solid running backs they have could be something fun to watch. The Steelers also have a guy by the name of Mike Tomlin as their head coach. In case you haven’t heard of him, he’s never had a losing season in his 17 years as the Steelers head coach. That kind of stability would be good for Fields.
Los Angeles Rams
This is my wild-card landing spot for Fields. The Rams just had a bounce back season, and look to be heading in the right direction again. Matthew Stafford just had a great season after battling injuries the previous one. The reason this could be a good fit is because Stafford is 36 years old and has been beat up throughout his entire career. Who knows how much more punishment his body can take. Similarly to the Steelers, the Rams are a stable organization with a great head coach in Sean McVay. Fields could sit behind Stafford for a year or two and learn from a true professional and be developed by McVay. The Rams also have a very young roster that Fields could grow with.
Header Photo: Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (MORRY GASH/The Associated Press)
Write to Mohamed Warsame at mohamed.warsame@mnsu.edu