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The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and many already expect them to use that pick to reset the quarterback position. There are largely two reasons for that: Consensus top prospect Caleb Williams arguably offers more upside than current starter Justin Fields, and Fields is already entering the final year of his rookie contract. But is it true that retaining Fields would be cost-prohibitive, considering he’ll soon be ripe for a new deal? Or is that a major miscalculation?
Let’s start with the facts: Fields is due to count $6 million against the Bears’ 2024 salary cap. That number ranks 28th among QBs for next season, meaning Chicago would actually be deploying one of the NFL’s most-affordable starting QBs if it kept Fields rather than drafted his successor. Williams himself may not be much cheaper (if at all), as Spotrac estimates this year’s No. 1 draft pick will net a four-year, $38.5 million rookie deal — earning a projected $9.625 million per year.
But this isn’t about 2024, you say. Drafting someone like Williams would be a long-term move, forgoing the need to commit lucrative money to Fields beyond this year. Certainly there’s some truth to that. At present, having logged almost 40 NFL starts, flashing Pro Bowl-caliber athleticism with a 1,000-yard rushing season, Fields can theoretically command more money than the QB who’s yet to take an NFL snap — even though, were incoming rookies permitted to operate as free agents, Williams would almost surely prove to be the greater commodity.
If it’s long-term finances that are steering the decision, however, the notion of Fields hamstringing the Bears with an inevitable extension is probably overstated. What, after all, is the chief scenario in which Fields warrants a new big-money deal? A massive 2024 breakout? If that occurs, it would mean a legitimate step forward for an already-promising young QB with three other…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/justin-fields-trade-rumors-why-qbs-contract-shouldnt-affect-bears-decision-caleb-williams-possibility/
Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2024-02-26 18:25:29
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