As several pundits and outsiders give their take on what the Bears should do with Justin Fields, let's add another one.
Former NFL Comeback Player of the Year and three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Alex Smith, argued Fields' ceiling is too high to pass on for another quarterback. He believes Fields' performance with the Bears' situation over the last three years is impressive.
"You have to take into account the instability this guy's played through," Smith said on SiriusXM NFL radio. "Multiple head coaches, multiple offenses, a turnstile offensive line. This is the first year with DJ Moore he's actually had a No. 1 receiver. Given that instability, you look at his play and who he's playing with these last couple of years I think there's an argument to be made this guy's ceiling is unbelievable."
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As Smith said, the Bears have been a fluid organization since drafting Fields in the 2021 NFL draft. He came in with head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace, who each were fired early in 2022 after his rookie season.
Head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy have been leading the team's offense for the past two seasons. They've gone through trials and tribulations as they've tried to create an offense suitable for Fields' dual-threat abilities.
Last season, it appeared the offense was banking on Fields' legs to score points. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and countlessly left the pocket to create yardage of his own. Without true wide receiver options and a reliable offensive line, the Bears had to make due.
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This season, they brought in reinforcements. They added pieces to their defense while upgrading their offense with wide receiver DJ Moore, right tackle Darnell Right and a robust rushing game. In flashes, Fields became a more efficient passer. But it hasn't been sunshine and rainbows for him all season.
He endured a thumb injury that kept him out for four weeks, leaving the Bears without crucial evaluation time. Fields also hasn't been the most consistent at times, turning the ball over 41 times in his three-year career.
But with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, things change. The Bears could draft a new quarterback with the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, etc. Or, they could trade the pick and receive a haul in return. Some reports suggest the Bears could reap a richer return than the trade they executed for last season's No. 1 pick.
But, to Smith, Williams isn't worth the return they can get to support Fields.
"If someone's willing to give up everything for Caleb Williams and you're telling me you can go get a bunch of picks and players to build this roster around, I like it," Smith said. "You're telling me if you go put Justin Fields in a great situation with great players around him, like this guy's not gonna flourish in a great system?"