Chicago Bears: No, Lamar Jackson should not be an option

One of the biggest storylines around the NFL, as of late, is that of Lamar Jackson and his trade request. Before anyone attempts to make this a thing, let me say this: No, the Chicago Bears should not be involved, whatsoever.

Jackson wants a fully-guaranteed deal that the Ravens simply aren’t willing to offer. Sure, he’s a former MVP and only 26 years old. He’s one of the most electric players the league has ever seen. But, the talks about him being an injury risk are, in fact, true. That’s one reason to shy away from him. But, there are other reasons.

Second, and most importantly, Justin Fields is a much better passer than Jackson.

First of all, for those saying that Fields is “just a runner,” you have to look back at his college production and remember that he was the highest-graded passer, ever, beyond the sticks, per Pro Football Focus.

So, the notion that Fields is just a runner is completely false. But, that does bring up a good point: Fields is a better passer than Jackson, period. There is nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. Maybe the future tape of the 2023 season will prove that point further, but if you look at what both of these guys were coming out of college and watch the tape of some of their recent throws in the NFL, it’s very clear.

Trading for Lamar Jackson would be a step backward for the Chicago Bears

Finally, look at what general manager Ryan Poles has done over the past year. He’s worked his tail off stripping the roster down, building up the team’s cap space, and most notably, putting together a ton of draft capital for the next couple of years.

In order to land Jackson, the Bears wouldn’t have to just trade Fields, but also some top-end draft capital.

Why would the Bears do that, after working so hard to accumulate draft capital that they can use to not just build around Fields, but also fill in the holes in other areas? Poles’ last year or so of work would have gone down the drain, and the Bears would be depending on a fairly one-dimensional quarterback who’s been oft-injured, without nearly the amount of draft capital they had in the first place.

The plan should remain the same. Continue building around Fields and leave the Jackson thing alone. Any fans clamoring for Jackson are living on another planet, respectfully.