Justin Fields’ recent play has made Bears’ QB decision more complex… or has it?

Carmen Vitali

NFC North Reporter

The Chicago Bears’ upcoming quarterback decision was always going to be a complex one. Whether to bring back Justin Fields and pick up his fifth-year option this offseason was the main question the organization wanted to answer in 2023. 

Staring down their last game of the season, they still don’t have that answer. That could be seen as an indictment of Fields’ future.

But Fields has responded with some of the best performances of his career. In the Bears’ Week 17 home win over the Atlanta Falcons, Fields went 20-of-32 for 268 yards and a touchdown. He added 11 carries for 45 yards on the ground with his fourth rushing touchdown of the year. It was Chicago’s most convincing win of the season, too, winning by a score of 37-17. 

Wins aren’t a correlative QB stat, but the Bears have won four of their last five games. Fields led a game-winning field goal drive to start off the run against Minnesota. He almost completed a hail-mary attempt against Cleveland that would have led a comeback effort in their only loss in that span.

However, the Bears needed that hail-mary attempt in part due to a poor performance by Fields and his receivers. Fields finished the game 19-of-40 for 166 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions (one of which was that final heave). While there have been highlight-worthy plays, there have been plenty of lows, too. Above all, we haven’t seen consistency.

Chicago is left in the same position they were in last season: bet on Fields’ potential or figure out his replacement. Only now, they have less time to evaluate. A decision on Fields’ fifth-year option looms, and should the Bears pick it up, they would owe the QB $25 million in 2025. That’s still a bargain for a starting quarterback. 

With the cap flexibility Chicago already has, it’s very doable. They could get a draft haul for trading out of the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year — many think for even…

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Publish date : 2024-01-03 13:00:12

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