Behold Da Bearz!

[SemperFeist]

I’m not sure I’d jump on the high horse over Fields, yet. Fans wanting an elite level physically gifted QB prospect shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. It’s only three weeks into year two for the young QB, who has the league’s worst supporting cast around him. 

And while I don’t believe I was someone who wanted to trade up for Fields, had he been there at 14, I’d have sprinted the card in. There’s absolutely no denying the physical talent that Fields possesses, and there’s absolutely no way to know where he’d be at in his development, or what he’d look like on the field if;

A) he got to sit for a year, which he most certainly would have done behind Cousins in 2021.
B) he was playing behind the Vikings’ offensive line, which, for all of its warts, is still multiple tiers above what Chicago is putting on the field.
C) he was playing with the group of weapons that the Vikings have. Chicago has one solid weapon in the passing game, and he’s probably closer to Osborn’s level. Jefferson, Thielen, Osborn, Cook, Smith, etc would be invaluable to a young QB.
D) he was being coached by an offensive/QB minded head coach who understood a more modern approach to the game. 

Will Fields turn into the franchise QB in Chicago? Odds are probably not, as with most QBs. But, it’s also entirely premature to say that he won’t. 

[vike daddy]

The good news in Chicago is that the Bears are 2-1. The bad news is that a lot of that success has nothing to do with their quarterback. Fields has only thrown for 297 yards through three games. What’s even more damning is that he hasn’t attempted more than 17 passes in any contest (while only producing a completion rate better than 50 percent once). The Bears got a huge effort from Khalil Herbert in Sunday’s win over Houston and their defense made some key plays. Fields, on the other hand, threw two interceptions and no touchdown passes. You really want to root for this guy. The problem is that he’s getting worse with every time he takes the field and the team’s trust in him seems to be waning.

https://www.nfl.com/news/the-first-read-week-4-bengals-too-talented-for-super-bowl-hangover-who-s-early-l

[Cearbhall]

I, for one, am glad that the Vikings didn't end up with Fields. I know that Kellen Mond didn't do anything for us, but that reality doesn't make me wish the team ended up with Fields.

Fields will look better when he gets to play against the Vikings CBs unless something happens to improve that situation for the Vikings. When Justin Fields plays against the Vikings it will be really interesting to see the Bears passing attack against the Vikings pass defense. It is a toss up right now on which group wins IMO.  

[swede700]

39 minutes ago, Cearbhall said:

I, for one, am glad that the Vikings didn't end up with Fields. I know that Kellen Mond didn't do anything for us, but that reality doesn't make me wish the team ended up with Fields.

Fields will look better when he gets to play against the Vikings CBs unless something happens to improve that situation for the Vikings. When Justin Fields plays against the Vikings it will be really interesting to see the Bears passing attack against the Vikings pass defense. It is a toss up right now on which group wins IMO.  

I think, like would have been the supposed plan here, it would have done wonders for Fields to sit behind Cousins until 2024.  I think the thoughts were correct that he should have sat for at least 2 years, because he wasn't ready to play at the NFL level.  

And it's no toss-up, as the Bears wouldn't be passing against the Vikings...with as mediocre as the Vikings' run defense has been, they wouldn't need to.

[wcblack34]

If you think a QB needs to sit for 2 years, you do not take that QB in the first round. 

[JDBrocks]

25 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

If you think a QB needs to sit for 2 years, you do not take that QB in the first round. 

I generally agree, but what if you're sure that guy is Aaron Rodgers?

[swede700]

1 hour ago, wcblack34 said:

If you think a QB needs to sit for 2 years, you do not take that QB in the first round. 

I think it's a case by case basis.  If that guy has a huge upside, yes, you do.  And Fields was one of those guys.  Rodgers had to sit because his mechanics needed to be corrected...and it appears that with a lot of these QBs coming out of Ohio State, they might need the same, because Terrelle Pryor was nothing to write home about (even moreso that he had to convert to a WR to even stick around), Haskins was a bust, and Fields is on his way to being one, especially now with a defensive guy as his HC.  It certainly doesn't bode well for Stroud, who will have to overcome that stigma, but maybe does bode well for Quinn Ewers, who hopes to turn into the next Joe Burrow in getting out of Ohio State before they can ruin his NFL prospects.  🤣  

[Captain Relax]

1 hour ago, wcblack34 said:

If you think a QB needs to sit for 2 years, you do not take that QB in the first round. 

I am not certain that can be, or should be, a hard and fast rule.  Steve Young is another first rounder that needed to sit for a few seasons. There are more examples of 1st round quarterbacks that were rushed into starting and never developed...David Carr and R.G. III come to mind.  I think it depends on the player.  Mental maturity, as well as physical attributes go into a decision to start a rookie.  Some qbs are late bloomers with mental maturity.

The problem is that teams tend to rate and overdraft quarterbacks.   So, I would say that half those drafted in the first round in any given year should sit.

[SteelKing728]

21 hours ago, Captain Relax said:

I am not certain that can be, or should be, a hard and fast rule.  Steve Young is another first rounder that needed to sit for a few seasons. There are more examples of 1st round quarterbacks that were rushed into starting and never developed...David Carr and R.G. III come to mind.  I think it depends on the player.  Mental maturity, as well as physical attributes go into a decision to start a rookie.  Some qbs are late bloomers with mental maturity.

The problem is that teams tend to rate and overdraft quarterbacks.   So, I would say that half those drafted in the first round in any given year should sit.

Didn't RG3 have knee issues going into the NFL. I don't think he was ever going to last long regardless.

[swede700]

1 hour ago, SteelKing728 said:

Didn't RG3 have knee issues going into the NFL. I don't think he was ever going to last long regardless.

He had an ACL tear 3 yrs before he was drafted, so I wouldn't call it much of an issue, as he played well in the 2 years following it.  

[SteelKing728]

 

[vike daddy]

Last week, quarterback Justin Fields posted his best single-game passer rating and completion percentage as an NFL starter while setting season-highs for completions and passing yardage in the 29-22 loss. Fields also avoided turning the ball over for the first time this season and the total package left offensive coordinator Luke Getsy talking about the growth he’s seen from the quarterback over the last few weeks.

Getsy: “There’s been progress, right? And we’re sticking to the plan. I thought he did a really nice job in that game in the sense of he kept his composure. They got off to a big lead, he kept the team together. . . . Then, you know, he had three or four unbelievable escapes that were ridiculous. I thought he did a pretty good job. Again, we’re getting a little bit better each week and that’s truly our purpose, that’s our goal.”

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/10/12/luke-getsy-justin-fields-getting-a-little-bit-better-each-week/

[VikeManDan]

1 hour ago, vike daddy said:

Then, you know, he had three or four unbelievable escapes that were ridiculous.

Feel like these were all on 3rd or 4th down as well.

[vike daddy]

For the third straight game, a fumble cost the Chicago Bears a chance at victory. And for the second time in the last three weeks, it was rookie receiver Velus Jones Jr. who was responsible.

The Bears held a 7-6 lead with eight minutes left in the game, and the offense was going to get a chance to milk the clock and try to move it down the field. Unfortunately, Jones muffed the punt on his own 9-yard line as the ball went off his facemask. While Jones tried to get on top of it, it was recovered by the Commanders on Chicago’s 4-yard line.

Jones Jr.:  “It wasn’t a smart play. I’m a man, I own up to my mistakes and that was a devastating blow. We wouldn’t be in that situation if that punt wasn’t muffed.”

Matt Eberflus: “Yeah, we are going to have to look at that. Number one job of kick returner or punt returner is to any catch the ball, so we are going to have to look at that.”

https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2022/10/14/bears-matt-eberflus-hints-at-change-at-returner-after-velus-jones-muffs-another-punt/

[SteelKing728]

That's just sad (and hilarious).

I'm so thankful they passed up on Mahomes back in 2017, although I'm sure Nagy would've ruined him too.