Chicago Bears Training Camp: Observations from Family Fest 2023

The Chicago Bears hosted their annual Family Fest at Soldier Field yesterday, and I was there with a figurative pencil in my ear to digest it all.

In the 25 years since I made a conscious choice to be a diehard Chicago Bears fan, I have never been this excited or hopeful. I know what some would say in response: I’m setting myself up for serious disappointment. But what are sports if you’re not willing to believe beyond reason?

Before I ponder too much on my potential future heartbreak, I will choose to live in the here and now.

Here are five observations from the Chicago Bears 2023 Family Fest at Soldier Field.

1. Justin Fields looked and played like a completely different Quarterback

I get it, it’s just training camp. We have to see Justin Fields perform this way when the Packers come to Soldier Field in Week 1.

With that being said, if he performs the way he did yesterday at Family Fest, the Chicago Bears are in good hands.

During 11 on 11 drills, Justin Fields consistently demonstrated all of the improvements he’s made in his own game as well as how important it was to provide him with better playmakers. On multiple occasions, Fields dropped back to pass, quickly went through his reads, and found the open man.

His knowledge of the playbook and the timing of certain routes was noticeably improved over last season. He understood what the defense was giving him and took it nearly every time.

Two plays come to mind where his improved footwork and release mechanics were on full display.

One was in the red zone when he threw a touchdown to Cole Kmet on a hitch route where timing was critical given the short field in front of him. The other was on a quick slant to D.J. Moore where he fit a ball between two defenders with a quick release, giving Moore ample room to showcase his special YAC ability.

For a quarterback who is constantly called a running back, he frequently chose to stay in the pocket and throw. When he did scramble, it was nearly always to set up an angle to pass. It is clear that Justin Fields has plans to silence the critics who dismiss his passing ability.