Due to their trade with the Carolina Panthers, who lost 26-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday to set their record at 2-14, the Chicago Bears now have the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
And Justin Fields wanted everybody to know that they don’t need to select a quarterback with that pick. Fields completed 20 of 32 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 99.5 in Chicago’s 37-17 beatdown of the Atlanta Falcons. Fields also ran 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, and some of his plays in this hame augured well for his future and his potential. Whether the Bears are into that idea or not is a point of conjecture, but this team has some holes they could fill with some major talent and two high selections. Right now, per Tankathon, the Bears have the first and 10th picks.
Fields’ fans at Soldier Field seem to agree.
"I'm gonna remember this for the rest of my life."
– Justin Fields talking to @Amanda_Balionis about hearing WE WANT FIELDS chants raining down from @ChicagoBears fans pic.twitter.com/OOXgKEIfBQ
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 31, 2023
Dealing with Fields as a runner has always been frustrating, and it was a nightmare for the Falcons’ defense on this day.
Justin Fields….. HOW?!?!?pic.twitter.com/0fpp4PKrMi
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 31, 2023
But the throws he made in this game, especially to receiver D.J. Moore, were absolutely on point.
Nice throw from Justin Fields in the snow pic.twitter.com/jF5qNVyM3a
— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) December 31, 2023
Fields isn’t a perfect quarterback per se, but in the right system and with the right people around him, he should have shown enough this season to have the Bears’ front office (whoever’s in charge of it after this season) convinced that there are other more pressing issues to address.
