Justin Fields’ future in Chicago is one of the biggest storylines from what’s been a disappointing 2023 season.
The Bears are trending toward having the top two selections in the 2024 NFL draft — between their own selection (No. 2) and the Panthers’ pick (No. 1). With Chicago trending toward being in a position to select first overall, USC quarterback Caleb Williams has been a hot topic.
Williams is considered by many to be the consensus top quarterback in the 2024 draft, where some have gone as far to call him a generational talent.
There’s been a debate among Bears fans whether the team should draft Williams or trade the pick away, if it comes to it. But what do former Bears players think?
Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs and guard Kyle Long believe that the team should opt to build around Fields rather than draft Williams, if they get the No. 1 pick.
“I’m not taking Caleb Williams,” Briggs said on ESPN 1000’s The Chicago Bears Podcast. “…I have a Caleb Williams on my team right now. Why am I going to go get another Caleb Williams and have the same problems I have right now?”
Briggs admitted that, if he was going to replace Fields, he’d go with a different style quarterback — a pocket passer. Still, Briggs a
“I’m not replacing (Fields). I’ll have another first-round pick the next year,” Briggs said. “I’m going (offensive) line.”
Lance Briggs says he'd rather keep Justin Fields than draft Caleb Williams.
Full show: https://t.co/LDSmnwzWHp pic.twitter.com/Fu60FgEc6d
— ESPN 1000 (@ESPN1000) October 17, 2023
Long shared his thoughts on what the Bears should do with Fields beyond this season. And he believes Chicago already has a solid foundation in Fields — but hte team needs to invest in building around him.
“If we’re going to build this things, we’re going to build it around something,” Long said on the BFR Podcast. “You don’t just put a house in a field. It’s on a foundation. And the foundation that this team — and I’m projecting here to next year — the foundation that this team is being built on is Justin Fields. And you need to do whatever you can to make that as strong a foundation as you can with offensive pieces on the edge and then, to your point, in the line.”
Kyle Long give his thoughts on Fields and what the Bears should do with him moving forward pic.twitter.com/DzTUvTXApi
— Ficky (@itsfickybaby) October 17, 2023
The fact that it’s former players — who have been in these kinds of situations — agreeing the team needs to build in the trenches speaks volumes.
There’s still 11 games left this season — although Fields is currently sidelined with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand — but it’s safe to say this will continue to be a hot topic for the duration of this season and heading into the offseason.
