The Bears have now been faced with the same decision for two straight years: Keep Justin Fields or use the No. 1 pick on a new franchise quarterback.
A season ago, Chicago opted to stick with Fields and traded the first overall pick to the Panthers, pairing Fields up with stellar wide receiver DJ Moore and bolstering the team around them with the new picks. Moore has since been adamant he believes Fields is the quarterback of the future in Chicago.
Not everyone seems to agree. There is plenty of speculation from the outside that Chicago will decide to reset the clock on the quarterback contract timeline and opt to draft one of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye first overall and trade Fields to the highest bidder.
There is certainly logic behind the move. It is easier to build around a quarterback on a rookie contract. While Fields has shown glimpses of promise in his three years in Chicago, he has yet to fully take the next step as a clear-cut star quarterback in the NFL.
MORE: Williams a massive favorite to go first overall
That doesn’t mean he can’t take that next step, and it’s possible a change under center could be the right step for both the Bears and Fields, who could thrive in a different situation with a little more continuity. Even if he stays in Chicago, he’ll be preparing for his third offensive coordinator in four years, which would be difficult for even most veteran QBs.
Here are a few destinations that it would make sense for Fields to land.
Justin Fields landing spots
Steelers
Pittsburgh has emerged as the betting favorite to land Fields, and with good reason. The Steelers’ first-round pick from 2022, Kenny Pickett, has been ineffective in two years as the starter and watched from the bench while nursing an ankle injury late in ’23 when Mason Rudolph led the team to the playoffs.
Fields would be a drastic departure from the quarterbacks Mike Tomlin and company have grown accustomed to, but he would be a perfect fit for an Arthur Smith-coached offense. Smith made the most of Ryan Tannehill’s legs during his two years as the Titans’ offensive coordinator and helped to revitalize Tannehill’s career before landing the head-coaching job in Atlanta, where he replaced Matt Ryan with more mobile quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder.
The Steelers have the biggest question mark at quarterback in the vaunted AFC North, but they have plenty of offensive weapons to style an effective attack that performs well enough to pick up wins given their standout defense. Even if the offensive line still requires some improvement, Fields’ mobility should allow him to evade pressure better than less-mobile options like Pickett and Rudolph.
MORE: Steelers linked to Fields as Bears consider Williams
Falcons
How often have people photoshopped Fields in a Falcons’ jersey? This match has made sense for a while, and it makes even more sense heading into the 2024 season.
By going 7-10 and drafting too low to nab a top QB, Atlanta showed that it still needs a quarterback despite a litany of standout players on offense. Instead of trading up, the Falcons could be best served to trade some later picks to land Fields. His mobility fits the style of quarterbacks Raheem Morris coached during his Tampa Bay days. Fields’ experience in the NFL also means he would be better suited to take over a talented offense that features players like Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London.
Additionally, drafting Fields does not necessarily mean the Falcons are tying themselves to him long-term. For the moment, he is under contract only through 2024 with the fifth-year option available for 2025. Taking a flier on Fields could be a chance to see if the change of scenery and moving to his native state of Georgia could help him unlock more of his potential or if the Falcons would be better served after a season to let him walk in free agency and draft a first-round quarterback in 2025.
Raiders
The one-year Jimmy Garoppolo experiment was a clear failure. Garoppolo threw nine interceptions in just seven games, dealt with injuries, and was ultimately benched for fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell. Though O’Connell was serviceable, the Raiders would likely be better off looking for a different quarterback to lead the franchise.
Much like the Falcons, Las Vegas drafts too low to have a shot at the top three QBs without trading up, and with the No. 13 pick, it’s possible the Raiders would even miss out on other potential quarterbacks like Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., or J.J. McCarthy. Trading for Fields would be an inexpensive solution that could answer the question of Las Vegas’ future quarterback or provide a solid stop-gap during what is likely to be a bit of a rebuilding period for the Raiders.
Antonio Pierce brought on Luke Getsy to be the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, which would provide a sense of familiarity for Fields after he was the Bears’ OC for the past two seasons. It would be an easier transition than going to most teams. Though there are plenty of questions surrounding the rest of Las Vegas’ roster, having Davante Adams and Michael Mayer as receiving options is at least a solid start for Fields.
Patriots
New England finds itself in an interesting position. Picking third in the draft, the Patriots are going to have a chance to select one of the top three quarterbacks available. That quarterback might also wind up being the one the team wants the least.
Instead of drafting the third quarterback, New England could opt to trade for Fields and pair him with former Ohio State teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. at wide receiver. Harrison is an elite talent many believe will have No. 1 potential immediately, and regardless of whether Fields works in New England, the Patriots would at least have themselves a star wide receiver for years to come.
How Fields would fit in the Patriots’ offense is a bit more uncertain. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has worked with an array of quarterbacks, from Aaron Rodgers to Baker Mayfield to Deshaun Watson, all of whom are a bit different. He runs more of a West Coast-style offense, which would mean placing a larger emphasis on Fields’ arm, which has been impressive at times.
Vikings
The Vikings don’t have any problems trading within the division. Just ask the Lions, who traded Minnesota T.J. Hockenson for a first-round pick back in 2022. Would the Bears run the risk of trading Fields to a division rival and watching him succeed? Maybe, maybe not.
Fields would certainly be a solution for the Vikings, who appear ready to let Kirk Cousins walk in free agency. As shown by the wild-card push with an array of backups, the Vikings are still a roster capable of hanging in the playoff race. The offensive line might not have much turnover and the weapons at receiver like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson (when healthy) would give Fields the best array of talent he’s had at his disposal in his NFL career.
Kevin O’Connell’s offense is likely to undergo some changes unless Cousins returns at quarterback, and having a player with the mobility and arm strength of Fields could be a solid pairing for a coach considered to be one of the brighter offensive minds in the sport. Trading for Fields would give Minnesota a glimpse at what he can bring to its offense and give it a chance to decide whether he can fit as the long-term answer. If he can’t, the Vikings will need to draft a quarterback in the first two rounds for the first time since Teddy Bridgewater in 2014.
