Chicago Bears: Stars aligning for the Bears to draft Justin Fields
By Usayd Koshul
With the 2021 NFL Draft set to take place this week, the talk has been about quarterbacks, especially when it comes to the Chicago Bears. We know that the first two players off the board will be Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson. This leaves Mac Jones, Justin Fields, and Trey Lance as first-round prospects the Bears will have to choose from.
Stars are aligning for the Chicago Bears to draft Justin Fields in the first round.
Let’s be honest, plans in the NFL rarely go as planned. The Chicago Bears have seen this play out too many times, especially in the NFL Draft. To counter this, General Manager Ryan Pace has always opted to be aggressive, trading up in order to secure the draft prospect he covets.
When the 2021 NFL Draft commences on Thursday night, all eyes will be on the third overall pick. Who the San Francisco 49ers select will have an impact on the Bears’ draft plans. That’s why a report from NFL Network raises the question: Are the stars aligning for the Bears to nab Fields?
As the #49ers close in on their decision of which QB to take at No. 3, sources say they are down to two prospects — and the belief is those two are #Bama QB Mac Jones and #NDSU QB Trey Lance. Several sources say the focus does appear to have shifted to those two.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 26, 2021
If the 49ers are indeed choosing between Jones and Lance, it gives the Bears an opportunity to trade up for Fields who by many is considered to be the third-best quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft.
The big catch here simply comes down to Chicago being willing to trade up for Fields. The Ohio State prospect won’t make it outside the top-10 so for the Bears to draft him, Chicago would have to sacrifice the 20th overall pick in 2021, along with a 2022 and potentially even 2023 first-round pick.
The Bears know what Fields brings to the table which is a lethal dual-threat quarterback who can hit any throw on the field or hurt opposing defenses with his legs. To further at Fields case as the future of the Bears, look no further than Fields performances against Alabama and Clemson in the College Football Playoffs last season. He was easily the best player on the field, overcoming a gruesome hip injury against Clemson to win.
Next. Chicago Bears: Best available players in round one. dark
The Bears still lack a long-term solution at quarterback and while the thought of acquiring Fields is certainly exciting, it shouldn’t be considered a surefire move unless the Bears do indeed trade up and grab Fields, something that appears to be in the makings.