The domino has fallen. It is no secret that the Chicago Bears have been enamored by draft prospect Caleb Williams for a while now. But, they still had Justin Fields on their roster. The former Ohio State product has run the team for a few seasons now.
As of today, that is no longer. Fields was traded to the Steelers on Saturday, in exchange for a sixth-round pick. A cheap price to pay for a young quarterback who was chosen in the first round. How does this trade affect both teams?
The Chicago Bears Will Be Starting Over With A New Man
With the number one overall pick and the departure of Fields, it’s clear GM Ryan Poles will be drafting a quarterback. It is 99.9% certain it will be Caleb Williams, the young, exciting prospect from USC.
Fields had his moments in Chicago. But, statistically, didn’t put up the numbers you want to see from a first-round pick. He failed to throw for more than 3,000 yards and had a career-high of just 17 passing touchdowns through three seasons.
Then again, the core around him was never the best. You could argue his best-supporting cast was last year when he had an actual WR1 in D.J. Moore.
Add in the fact that one of Fields’ best skills is running with the football (1143 yards on 160 rush attempts in 2022) and you would think he would be the answer at quarterback but would just need more weapons around him.
2023 was a bit of a struggle for Justin Fields. He wasn’t given enough opportunities to run with the football early in the season, and his numbers in that department decreased significantly (just 124 attempts for 657 yards and four touchdowns).
Passing-wise, he threw just nine interceptions but only 16 touchdowns. Not great numbers you want from your starting quarterback. Factor in his 10-28 record as a starter and you have enough reasons to trade him away.
If Chicago did keep him for 2024, you could argue he would have had a Pro-Bowl caliber season. With the offseason additions of D’Andre Swift and Keenan Allen, Chicago’s offensive corps has improved dramatically. Unfortunately, Fields will not get to experience that as he heads to Pittsburgh.
As For Pittsburgh, The Future Is Bright
Even with the trade for Fields, it was announced that Russell Wilson would still be the clear starter at quarterback for Pittsburgh.
You would think there would be some sort of quarterback competition between Fields and Wilson. However, he will be learning behind the veteran as he attempts to possibly rejuvenate himself. Also, he must be prepared to be the clear starter in 2025 (Wilson is on a one-year, veteran minimum contract).
The Bears will reportedly receive a 2025 sixth-round pick that would become a fourth-rounder if Fields plays in 51% of snaps next season, but that does not seem to be in Pittsburgh’s plans.
Fox Sports on the Justin Fields trade to Pittsburgh
After years of questions about the future at quarterback, the Steelers now have one of the best QB rooms in the league. A veteran, proven winner like Wilson along with a promising guy like Justin Fields gives fans hope the team can turn things around and get themselves back to the mountaintop.
However, questions remain about the receiving corps. With George Pickens as the clear WR1, it will be interesting to see if they add a wideout in the draft (Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III are the WR2 and WR3 at the moment, respectively).
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Featured Image: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
