By Andrew Gamble & Andrew Gamble
The Chicago Bears have a tough decision to make on Justin Fields with several trade offers coming in for him ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Bears got the top pick last year in a trade that let the Carolina Panthers choose quarterback Bryce Young. Now, they're ubsure whether to stick with Fields and strengthen their team by trading down or to go for Caleb Williams.
Fields was picked by the Bears at No. 11 in 2021. He hasn't yet led them to a winning season, but he's getting better every year and is a thrilling quarterback to watch. The Bears really like Fields as a player and a person, but they might be tempted to trade him because of Williams' talent and the chance to have a rookie contract at the quarterback position.
According to TheMMQB, the Bears have had inquiries about Fields even though he's not officially up for sale. The Bears are expected to have a plan ready for the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week.
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Fields has been well-received by his Bears teammates and fans, but a season plagued with injuries and turnovers in Chicago makes the prospect of picking Williams incredibly appealing. It's widely expected that the Bears will choose Williams.
If the Bears decide on Williams, they'll likely look to trade Fields sooner rather than later to take advantage of teams in need of a quarterback before the draft. Trades can't be finalised until March 13 - the start of the 2024 league year - but terms can be discussed and agreed upon at any time between now and then.
In 2023, Fields completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns - with nine interceptions - in 13 games, while also rushing for 657 yards and 4 touchdowns. His best year was in 2022 when he rushed for 1,143 yards and 8 touchdowns and threw for 2,242 yards. However, he hasn't managed to play a full season in any of his three years with the Bears.
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On the other hand, Williams has long been seen as a once-in-a-generation player and the Bears now have to decide whether to stick with Fields or trade their current quarterback to build a team around the former Heisman Trophy winner. Despite a dip in performance last season after an outstanding 2022, it seems to have barely affected Williams' standing.
After moving to USC for the 2022 college football season, Williams quickly became one of the top quarterbacks in the game. The 22-year-old has been compared to two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes; he's great at avoiding pressure and making amazing throws from all sorts of angles.
Williams scored 93 touchdowns to 14 interceptions while throwing for 10,082 yards and rushing for 21 scores with his legs during his college career. His ability to make big plays was often on display; Williams had 10 games where he scored five or more touchdowns. According to ESPN Stats and Info, only Mahomes had more in the College Football Playoff era - and such an exciting prospect may be too good for the Bears to pass up, no matter how they feel about Fields.