The Chicago Bears are in the midst of an important and busy offseason. They could be one of those teams to go from “worst to first” in 2024, but they need everything to go their way for that to happen, which starts with an incredible offseason.
Chicago has two top-10 picks (Nos. 1 and 9) in the 2024 NFL draft, which is where the conversation starts and ends at this point. The big question is whether the top pick will be used on USC quarterback Caleb Williams, which feels like the most likely outcome, or another rookie or if they decide to keep Justin Fields. Simply put, general manager Ryan Poles has a tenure-defining decision to make.
It’s going to be brought up by everyone who is involved with this team, whether it’s players, coaches, fans or media. Late in the media circus that was Super Bowl week, linebacker T.J. Edwards spoke to Jarrett Payton about all things going on with the Bears. He touched on the defense, which he believes is going in the right direction, but also his impression of Fields after this season.
“What I love about him is I could tell him Day 1 what kind of guy he is,” Edwards said. “He’s a calm, cool, collected type, and playing quarterback in this league — especially in Chicago — you’ve got to be that. You can’t be too overzealous at times, you kind of have to be right in the middle, where we can look to you at times when it’s going bad and know he’s going to make a play, and he did that.”
@paytonsun caught up with Bears LB @TJEdwards8 in Las Vegas to talk about the Bears improving defense and his impressions of Justin Fields after watching him up close this season…https://t.co/3lTCJ2NBpD pic.twitter.com/9zONwtoPzm
— GNSportsTV (@GNSportsTV) February 9, 2024
Edwards is the latest Bears player to make it clear that he wants Fields back in 2024.
“Playing against him, from experience, I hope he stays with us because I don’t want to play against him ever again,” he said.
Edwards is a very important player to Chicago’s defense going forward, and he seems to have a good grasp on the situation. This doesn’t mean Chicago is for sure going to keep Fields, but it does mean that there is some good that could come if they do. Someone who has gone against him in practice and relies on him to help win is endorsing how good he can be.
Edwards is in the NFL to win and he wouldn’t be out there saying this stuff if he didn’t believe it. These Bears players are going to be tired of talking about it by the time we get to the draft, but this decision being so huge is the reality of the situation. Hopefully, no matter what, Poles makes the right one.
