5. Justin Fields, QB
The former Georgia Bulldog and Ohio State Buckeye blazed the college football scene. In his only season playing for the Bulldogs, Fields threw for as many touchdowns as he rushed (four).
At Ohio State, he threw for 63 and rushed for 15 in the two seasons as a Buckeye. In 2019, he racked up 41 scores by air and had 10 more himself on the ground. Fields solidified himself as a dual threat.
Instead of trading up again in the NFL draft for their next franchise quarterback, the Chicago Bears remained patient and stood pat on where their first-round pick fell, #11.
As the team decided to move on from Trubisky, Chicago announced Justin Fields as their newest member of the Bears that particular draft night.
Season | Games | Pass % | Pass YDS | Pass TD | INT | Rush YDS | Rush TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | 12 | 58.9 | 1,870 | 7 | 10 | 420 | 2 |
2022 | 15 | 60.4 | 2,242 | 17 | 11 | 1,143 | 8 |
2023 | 13 | 61.4 | 2,562 | 16 | 9 | 657 | 4 |
Even though Fields' numbers in terms of passing percentage and yards improved each year he played in Chicago, he fumbled the ball 16 times (worst in the league) and was also sacked a league-high 58 times.
A little more than a year ago, the Bears swapped Fields for a conditional fourth-round pick that belonged to the Steelers. It became the second time in a four-year period that Pittsburgh inherited a former Chicago quarterback.
The Bears made this move knowing that they had the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The luster and allure of taking Caleb Williams from the University of North Carolina could not be overlooked by GM Ryan Poles.
While the verdict is still out on whether this was the right move, Fields is now with the New York Jets and Williams is about to play in his second season for Chicago. Time will tell, but history does tend to repeat itself.