Why Bears traded Justin Fields to the Steelers, what’s next

One of many nice questions of the 2024 NFL free company interval was answered on Saturday when the Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 sixth-round draft selection that turns into a fourth-round decide if Fields performs 51% of Pittsburgh’s snaps in 2024, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The transfer ends the previous first-round decide’s tenure with the Bears after three seasons, all however confirming Chicago will draft a quarterback — seemingly USC’s Caleb Williams — No. 1 total on April 25.

Fields joins a Steelers workforce that has made quite a few QB-related headlines in current weeks, most notably its acquisition of nine-time Professional Bowler Russell Wilson and the commerce of former first-rounder Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.

ESPN’s Courtney Cronin and Brooke Pryor present perception on the Fields commerce from each the Bears’ and Steelers’ vantage factors, together with what comes subsequent for each franchises at quarterback.

Does this take away any doubt the Bears will draft Caleb Williams?

Cronin: ​​The Bears are within the means of finalizing their evaluations of Williams and the opposite high quarterbacks within the draft, and they’ll arrive at a call throughout the subsequent few weeks. A large contingent from the Bears’ entrance workplace and training workers can be readily available for USC’s professional day on March 20. The workforce will then host Williams on a top-30 go to to get to be taught extra about him as an individual.

All indicators level to Williams being the highest decide. Chicago may even formulate its contingency plan for doubtlessly buying and selling again a decide or two if its analysis leads to a prospect apart from Williams.

Williams is a prohibitive favourite at -5000 to be the No. 1 decide, per ESPN BET.

Will Fields have a possibility to win the beginning job in 2024, or is that this a long-term play for the Steelers?

Pryor: It is a long-term play. Wilson is the workforce’s beginning quarterback, a workforce supply informed me. Fields is predicted to hitch him in Pittsburgh to be taught underneath a participant who has been chosen to 9 Professional Bowls and received a Tremendous Bowl. However, after all, 66 quarterbacks began an NFL sport final season, so simply because Fields shouldn’t be anticipated to start out Week 1 does not imply he will not see the sphere sooner or later. In including Fields for a 2025 sixth-round decide — which turns right into a fourth if Fields performs greater than 51% of snaps in 2024 — behind Wilson, who signed a one-year deal for the league minimal, the Steelers are addressing short-term and long-term wants at quarterback with out giving up vital cap area or draft capital.

Why did not it work out for Fields in Chicago?

Cronin: Regardless of flashing potential, Fields by no means definitively answered the query as as to if he may turn into the Bears’ franchise quarterback. His mobility was among the many finest within the league amongst quarterbacks, however one knock towards him was holding on to the ball too lengthy, which regularly led to him being among the many most sacked QBs within the NFL. Fields (3.18) and Russell Wilson (3.02) averaged the longest and third-longest time to throw over the previous three years, respectively, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.

Fields is coming into his fourth season, and Chicago’s skill to start out the clock over by drafting a quarterback subsequent month is large. Had the Bears stood pat with Fields, they might have needed to train his $25.7 million fifth-year choice by Could 2 and begin fascinated with an costly extension within the close to future.

As the primary wave of free company winds down, the Bears’ depth chart consists of new additions huge receiver Keenan Allen, operating again D’Andre Swift and tight finish Gerald Everett, together with returning veterans DJ Moore, Cole Kmet and an improved offensive line. Defensively, the Bears are in a great place with the likes of Jaylon Johnson, Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds. The Bears consider they’re able to compete and wish to shift towards a quarterback who’s the explanation they win video games.

And with Williams thought of a generational expertise, the Bears felt it was the precise time to maneuver on from Fields.

How do Fields’ expertise translate to Arthur Smith’s offense in Pittsburgh?

Pryor: Fields’ biggest energy is his mobility — he was probably the most prolific scrambler within the NFL final season with 1,359 yards on 153 scramble performs — but in addition like Wilson, he has the ability set to be a strong quarterback utilizing play-action. He accomplished 56 of 90 makes an attempt for 718 yards with three touchdowns and 0 interceptions off play-action final season.

Considered one of Smith’s high priorities is establishing a balanced offense by means of a robust run sport anchored by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, and Fields’ prowess throwing the deep ball can go a good distance towards undertaking that. In 2023, Fields threw seven landing passes focusing on go routes, tied for fourth within the NFL, in response to NFL Subsequent Gen Stats — one thing Steelers huge receivers like George Pickens will recognize. Fields additionally took a variety of sacks over the previous two seasons. Wilson (100) and Fields (99) have been sacked greater than some other QBs because the begin of 2022. No different QB has been sacked 80 instances in that span, in response to ESPN Stats & Information.

What made the Bears resolve this was one of the best supply they might get?

Cronin: The Bears had hoped to land a Day 2 decide within the 2024 draft coupled with a 2025 decide that had the potential to escalate heading into the mix in Indianapolis in late February, a supply with information of the workforce’s plans informed ESPN. The parameters of the commerce that despatched former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers (a 2021 sixth-round decide plus second- and fourth-round choices in 2022) was what Chicago had hoped to mannequin its Fields commerce after. However as potential locations shortly got here off the board with Russell Wilson signing with Pittsburgh, Kirk Cousins with Atlanta and Baker Mayfield staying in Tampa, the Bears needed to modify the kind of return they have been hoping to obtain.

A supply informed ESPN that 5 groups along with Pittsburgh reached out to Chicago, and the vast majority of these groups had envisioned the previous first-round decide in a backup function. Moreover, the Steelers had been in talks with the Bears all through the week of free company and reached out once more after sending Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday. The Bears had an extra supply with stronger draft capital from a workforce with a longtime starter, per a supply, however selected to ship Fields to Pittsburgh with the hope of placing the 25-year-old able to proceed his improvement — first as a backup to Wilson and finally as a starter.

In Indianapolis, Bears GM Ryan Poles stated he wished to “do proper” by Fields, which included not holding him on a workforce with a rookie and discovering a spot the place he may proceed growing. In Pittsburgh, Fields may have that likelihood.