# Poll: Justin Fields and the 2023 Bears **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [July 25, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573 "2023-07-25T18:54:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/341 "2024-01-08T19:48:05Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Of course, that would take a self-aware, creative coaching staff that has the lack of an ego that requires running their offense, dammit! And a similar type backup QB. Not sure the Bears have that. I’m pretty sure Tyrod Taylor will be available, he’d be a perfect backup to Fields, ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/342 "2024-01-08T21:13:42Z")
This is not a Bears/Packers trash talking thread. I’m sorry a Bears player upset you. Twitter is available for comment. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/343 "2024-01-08T21:21:22Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > There are plenty of teams for whom Fields would be an upgrade over their 2023 starter(s). But given his level of play and the length of time remaining on his rookie deal, a 3rd round pick is probably in the ballpark. Even though I’m a long time Fields critic, I still think he’ll get a much better return than that. He’s a QB and he’s a QB with unique traits. There’s 100% a team out there convinced they can fix him. I’m not sure if it’s a 1st rounder or a package of picks, but I think he’ll have a notable return. Teams have 2 years of cheap control still. If Belichick is coming back, do you think he’d rather have Fields or an untested rookie to try and break the record with? Atlanta just blew things up, but they have a bunch of talent at the skill positions, and I don’t know that they are in a place to wait a couple years for a rookie to shape up. Neither team will give their high 1st, but I think they might offer their second plus some sweeteners. Payton and the Broncos are jettisoning Wilson and need to eat a big dead cap hit. Would Payton want to try to fix Fields for a couple seasons until they can reset their cap situation? Is Payton interested in a rookie project? Would the Raiders consider taking a shot? They are likely out of reach for a top rookie and I’m not sure O’Connell is the long term plan there. Pittsburgh might be an interesting home if they are done with the Pickett experiment. I think there are enough situations out there were you could have multiple bidders pushing up the price to get him. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/344 "2024-01-08T21:48:49Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I still think he’ll get a much better return than that. He’s a QB and he’s a QB with unique traits. There’s 100% a team out there convinced they can fix him. I’m not sure if it’s a 1st rounder or a package of picks, but I think he’ll have a notable return. Teams have 2 years of cheap control still. I’d love for you to be right. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/345 "2024-01-08T22:21:03Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Twitter is available for comment. As opposed to a public message board in a thread about the 2023 Bears? Got it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/346 "2024-01-08T22:21:20Z")
We shall see. It not like there isn’t a long history of teams “overpaying” for QBs. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/347 "2024-01-08T22:28:56Z")
You came here to spike the football on us, then were like, no I’m not rubbing salt in the wounds of the Bears fans, they have suffered enough, I’m only speaking to their player, who is not in this thread and will not see my comment. I get it, Packers fans have had bragging rights over us for almost all of the last 30 years. Congratulations. Couldn’t happen to a more insufferable fan base. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/348 "2024-01-08T23:39:38Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > There are plenty of teams for whom Fields would be an upgrade over their 2023 starter(s). But given his level of play and the length of time remaining on his rookie deal, a 3rd round pick is probably in the ballpark. A week ago, someone was suggesting the Vikings trade their no. 12 pick for Fields: > **[Vikings Trade Pitch Nets Rival $19 Million QB for 1st-Round Pick](https://heavy.com/sports/minnesota-vikings/justin-fields-bears-trade-cousins-hall/)** > > The Minnesota Vikings could replace Kirk Cousins and Jaren Hall next season by trading for Bears QB Justin Fields. I’m not a fan of Fields, so I hope they don’t do it, but you never know. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/349 "2024-01-08T23:50:35Z")
> [@gnarator](#): > > A week ago, someone was suggesting the Vikings trade their no. 12 pick for Fields: Sold! (Although I’d hate to play against him twice a year.) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/350 "2024-01-09T00:03:55Z")
If you listen to the big-name pundits, you’d be led to believe the majority of the league views Fields as a star and the Bears organization is holding him back. Granted a lot of these talking heads are former players and carry their biases, but if a set of GMs around the league have the same bias he could be pretty high demand. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/351 "2024-01-09T00:17:49Z")
Fields on another team would be fine, I believe. There’s something about the Bears organization that sucks the life and drive out of a QB. No, I can’t quantify or identify it. But I’ve seen it all my life. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/352 "2024-01-09T00:28:09Z")
I don’t really feel like rehashing this for the 100th time, but the effect is circular. Not having a QB for an extended period destroys your organization and causes it to eat itself, and then having an unstable organization makes it an order of magnitude harder to find and develop a QB. We’re an organization that doesn’t know how to win because we’ve alternated between neglect and malpractice at the QB position. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/353 "2024-01-09T13:39:24Z")
One day later, I’m really surprised to see so many votes for Option 4 (Keep Fields and keep the #1 pick). If you voted for this, I’d love to hear your thinking. - Do you think Fields would make an appropriate “bridge QB” a la Alex Smith – starting for one more year while a rookie QB learns on the sideline? - Should there be a QB competition between Fields and the rookie? - Should the Bears simply draft a non-QB (say, Marvin Harrison, Jr.) to improve the team around Fields? - Or do you have a different idea altogether? ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/354 "2024-01-09T15:15:45Z")
I personally clicked the wrong option haha. I want to trade the number one for a boatload of picks. We have too many holes on the team for one player to put us over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/355 "2024-01-12T22:48:35Z")
Well, the week’s over, and Option 1 (Trade Fields and draft a QB at #1) has established a comfortable lead. That’s my pick, too. I really wish I believed in Fields enough to stick with him. He’s a blast to watch, and by all accounts a hard worker and a stand-up guy. His teammates love him, and it would make a great story if he turned things around and became the core of a Super Bowl team. But I just don’t see it happening. I’m ready to move on, and I suspect Poles and Flus are, too. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/356 "2024-01-12T22:55:14Z")
Literally the only reason I will entertain keeping Fields is because of how badly I want MHJ. If not for him I’d be 1000% on the draft a QB at 1OA train. But I have a feeling I’ll be totally in the bag for Caleb once I get to the combine and consume a bunch of tape. One site was suggesting Darrell Bevell as the top OC candidate for the Bears. If we can get him I’d be over the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/357 "2024-01-12T23:05:22Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > One site was suggesting Darrell Bevell as the top OC candidate for the Bears. If we can get him I’d be over the moon. He was really good in Seattle, he’d be a good catch. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/358 "2024-01-16T13:57:19Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > We have too many holes on the team for one player to put us over the top. After watching CJ Stroud carve up Cleveland these weekend, I beg to differ. Stroud killed it from day one, and his supporting cast was not as strong as the Bears’ will be next season. I’m not saying Williams or Maye is definitely as good as Stroud, but we know Fields isn’t. > [@Omniscient](#): > > Literally the only reason I will entertain keeping Fields is because of how badly I want MHJ. If not for him I’d be 1000% on the draft a QB at 1OA train. Again, taking a note from Houston, who last year took their QB at #2 and traded up to take Will Anderson at #3 … what would you say to taking Williams at #1, then trading up with New England to take MHJ at #3? ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/359 "2024-01-16T15:24:05Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > After watching CJ Stroud carve up Cleveland these weekend, I beg to differ. Stroud killed it from day one, and his supporting cast was not as strong as the Bears’ will be next season. Houston just went through three seasons with 4, 4 and 3 wins. They had their own high draft picks plus an absolute ton of draft capital from Cleveland. They’ve been building this team through the draft for 3 years before they took Stroud to add him to all that young talent. Conversely, the Bears have had one good draft. Poles first draft, a couple of months after he was hired, did not have a first round pick. In fact our roster did not have any first round picks on it for years. We have only just started rebuilding our roster, and Poles said we were only 70% there at the beginning of this year. You cannot go from the worst roster in the league by far, and become a real playoff contender in one off season. Again, Houston had been building for 3 years before adding Stroud. Poles is trying to build the team through draft capital from trades like Houston did, but Bears fans are not patient enough. We had one 3 win season followed by a season with more than double the amount of wins, even being close to making the playoffs had we held a lead or two, and Bears fans are setting their hair on fire to start over again. The NFL is not fantasy football or, Madden franchise mode. Everyone thinks they are more qualified to be a GM then actual GMs. Historically it takes several years to go from worst in the league to a contender. Houston did not do this overnight. Stroud is a good young quarterback, but you are dismissing all of the other good young players they drafted the last 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573/360 "2024-01-16T15:48:38Z")
Apparently the Bears interviewed Greg Roman for their OC position. Roman worked with Lamar Jackson, Tyrod Taylor, and Colin Kaepernick, and is widely viewed as a running QB whisperer. At the least, Poles is investigating the possibility of keeping Fields and making an offense built around his strength as a runner. Intriguing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-justin-fields-and-the-2023-bears/987573.md?page=19)