Now that we know Justin Fields is doubtful to play against the Raiders this week after exiting Sunday's game against the Vikings with a dislocated thumb, the next question to ask is how long he'll be out.
Reporter Mark Grote told NBC Sports Chicago Tuesday that he heard from "a very reliable source" that the team has no idea how many weeks the Bears' could be without their starting quarterback.
"I actually thought that was relatively good news, Grote said on "Football Night in Chicago. "Because I feel like if it was something really bad, they would have a pretty good idea right now that he's going to be out four-to-six weeks or whatever.
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"My guess is I bet he misses two games."
Dave Wannstedt had a much different perspective, predicting that Fields' timeline for return might not depend on the injury at all.
"I think a lot's gonna have to do with what the Bears do the next couple of weeks," he said. "You hate to say that, and I love Justin fields. ... I just don't know if he's the quarterback for the future. I really have my doubts.
"If Tyson Bagent plays well and the bears win, maybe this injury takes a little longer to get back. Or if Justin doesn't feel like there's a future for him here, maybe he takes his time. All these things become factors now."
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said Wednesday that Fields' grip strength will determine when he can return.
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"At the end of the week, we’re gonna figure that out," Eberflus said. "We’re gonna figure that out. Grip strength is — you know, grip the ball, throw the ball, hand the ball off, everything a quarterback does. We’ll know that at the end of the week.”
In the meantime, the team is confident their undrafted rookie quarterback can get the job done
“He's got good arm talent,” Eberflus said of Bagent. “He’s got good poise and pocket presence and we’re excited to see where it goes.”