It looks like the Chicago Bears front office has seen the error of their ways of selecting their quarterback of the future. The organization came under harsh criticism when they chose Mitchell Trubisky instead of Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes in 2017. With Trubisky under center, the Bears appeared in the postseason two out of the four years that he was a part of the team.
However, the Bears vaunted defense played a significant role in those two playoff appearances and not Trubisky. For the most part, Trubisky’s production in Chicago was subpar, and it led to him being benched during the 2020 season. After four years, the Bears front office decided to part ways with the second overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Chicago was initially slated to pick at 20 in this year’s draft until they made an offer to the New York Giants to move up to 11. In return, the Giants received the Bears No. 20 selection this year and the Bears’ first-round pick next year. They’ll also get a fifth-rounder this year and a fourth-round choice next year. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields was projected to be one of the top two signal-callers in this year’s NFL Draft.
But after various concerns by NFL teams, Fields draft stock suddenly dropped. That’s where the Bears came in with their offer to the Giants that allowed them to move up and select Fields. The chances are that the New England Patriots would have chosen fields if Chicago had not moved up to the 11 spot. After everything cleared up, the Bears selected Fields with the eleventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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What are the Bears Expectations for 2021 After Selecting Justin Fields?
Before the idea of the Bears selecting Justin Fields, the reports coming out of Chicago were that general manager Ryan Pace, and Head Coach Matt Nagy would be on the hot seat going into 2021. Anything less than a postseason appearance next season could result in the termination of both Nagy and Pace. But with the selection of Fields, are those expectations tampered down just a bit? Under Coach Nagy’s watch, the Bears have made the playoffs two out of his four seasons that he has been with the team.
He has yet to endure a season under .500. But with a defense that is on the level of Chicago’s, it is imperative that a viable option at the quarterback position can replicate their success. The days of building around an elite defense with underachieving results at quarterback are slowly fading. The Bears have lived by that mindset for such a long time.
Outside of having Fields, Chicago has quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Nick Foles on the roster as well. Both quarterbacks have had their share of postseason experience. According to reports from Chicago, Dalton is expected to be the Bears opening day starter, while Fields get’s trained up for the position. With Dalton as the starting QB, the Bears should have enough to become a playoff contender in the NFC.
With enough reliable weapons on offense, Dalton has proven to be a quality starter. However, in the same token, Dalton can be revert back to being one of the league’s worst quarterbacks under center. So if Chicago underachieves with Dalton at QB, will Coach Nagy call upon the services of Nick Foles, or will he insert Fields into the starting quarterback role? Also, does that change the Bears’ expectations of being a playoff contender or a shot at winning the NFC North?
Those are some of the questions that will be answered as the new season approaches, and there are actual games. Fields upside is enormous in Chicago. But if Nagy and his coaching staff are fired, his potential as the Bears starting QB could be hindered under a new regime.
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Photo courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.
