Bears' decision to trade Justin Fields could come down to getting the best package or honoring his desires
The Chicago Bears are all but expected to move on from starting quarterback Justin Fields this offseason in favor of replacing him with a rookie quarterback selected with the first overall pick. On Wednesday, Fields spoke publicly for the first time since the Bears' 2023 season ended on the St. Brown Brothers podcast and discussed […]
The Chicago Bears are all but expected to move on from starting quarterback Justin Fields this offseason in favor of replacing him with a rookie quarterback selected with the first overall pick.
On Wednesday, Fields spoke publicly for the first time since the Bears' 2023 season ended on the St. Brown Brothers podcast and discussed his future with the team.
Fields mentioned his desire is to remain with the Bears but understands how the business works. Ultimately, he just wants the drama to end and to know for certain whether or not he will be traded. If the Bears come to that decision, will they trade Fields for the best package available or will they do right by their former starter?
There seems to be no consensus on what the Bears could potentially get in return for Fields with some experts believing the Bears could potentially get up to a late 2024 first-round pick for their starting quarterback.
The top teams potentially in contention for Fields based on the current odds are the Atlanta Falcons, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders. Out of those teams, the Steelers would be the most likely to cough up a first-round pick considering where they stand on the draft board.
If the Bears wish to get the best package in return, the Steelers seem like the ideal trade partner with the possibility of entering April's draft with three selections in the first round. The Falcons would also be an intriguing trade partner to consider by having a high second and would be a team that could appeal most to Fields as well.
The Falcons are likely the most preferred option for Fields if given the chance to voice his opinion on which team he would wish to play with. Fields is from Kennesaw, less than an hour away from Atlanta and could have the opportunity to return home.
"Atlanta would be tough… I think they got a lot of playmakers on the team," Fields said. "Bijan [Robinson], my boy Kyle [Pitts], and of course Drake [London]. They probably need one more receiver, but they got some guys."
Fields also mentioned the Steelers' Acrisure Stadium as one of the top three stadiums he's played at in his career. Perhaps he could play even more games there in the future if that's where he ends up getting traded to. With the Steelers, Fields will also be playing under a well respected head coach in Mike Tomlin and the Steelers' new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Currently, the Falcons have the best odds to land Fields with the Steelers right behind them. That means the Bears have the third best odds to retain their 2023 starter.
Either option seems like a great situation for Fields to potentially end up in with both teams having the potential to offer a significant offer in exchange for the 24-year-old. However, if Fields' desire is to play back home with the Falcons, would the Bears honor his request over the possibility of acquiring the Steelers first-round pick in return?
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