How Bears GM Ryan Poles is already setting Justin Fields up for failure
The Chicago Bears haven't done much to help quarterback Justin Fields this offseason. Chicago added a couple of lower-tiered wide receivers in Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown. Those are nice depth additions, but that's not giving Fields much help. Fields' top option in the passing game is Darnell Mooney. After Mooney on the depth […]
The Chicago Bears haven't done much to help quarterback Justin Fields this offseason.
Chicago added a couple of lower-tiered wide receivers in Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown. Those are nice depth additions, but that's not giving Fields much help.
Fields' top option in the passing game is Darnell Mooney. After Mooney on the depth chart, it's….bleak.
But despite the lack of offensive additions for Fields, Bears general manager Ryan Poles still thinks we'll see significant improvement from the young quarterback in 2022.
“It’s a difficult challenge, but I think as a whole with the scheme, with coaching, with some of the additions we’ve had, I think it’s going to get better,” said Poles recently of Fields (via The Athletic). “I think he’s going to be put in a situation where he’s going to be comfortable, and I’ve said this all the way back to the very beginning, allowing him to do what he does best is going to allow him to grow from that point.”
I understand that previous Bears head coach Matt Nagy was a disaster when it came to developing quarterbacks. Removing Nagy from the equation is certainly a good thing for Fields' development.
But simply improving the scheme isn't enough help for Fields.
If Chicago wants the former Ohio State star to take a big step forward in 2022, they need to give Fields some offensive weapons. The scheme is only as good as the players playing in it.
And right now, Fields doesn't have the tools to be successful.
Poles has a plan and it doesn't involve spending much cash in 2022. I get it. And I think it's a good long-term plan. But adding a veteran wide receiver (someone like Jarvis Landry or Cole Beasley) is something that needs to happen if the team truly wants to see improvement from Fields in 2022.
Otherwise, the idea that Fields will show vast improvement in 2022 is delusional. In fact, the expectation that Fields will show improvement without improving his situation is cruel. It feels like Poles is setting Fields up for failure this upcoming season.
Featured image via Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports
