Justin Fields 2021 NFL Draft fits: 5 Best landing spots
By Tadhg Flynn
4. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have been a good team with bad quarterback play for a while now. General manager Ryan Pace must have known the backlash he and his front office would receive when making their first steps this offseason to address the issue.
Mitch Trubisky is gone. He will spend a number of years with the Buffalo Bills likely as a backup. But if Bears fans had dared to get their hopes up, Pace was quick to dampen those spirits.
Andy Dalton has been brought in as the supposed “QB1” for the coming year and, realistically, the Bears’ front office faced a lose-lose situation signing Dalton. Some fans would argue that if this is the move expected to move the franchise forward and the front office is fully behind Dalton, the management is out of touch with the quarterback’s actual level of play.
If they have signed him as a necessary placeholder due to Trubisky’s departure, fans will be disappointed at the lack of ambition shown.
The 2021 NFL Draft feels like the perfect way to get back on track. Justin Fields is an upgrade over Andy Dalton, by a considerable level of talent. Fields gets the ball out quickly and accurately to his receivers and can scramble to improve or redeem a play, the second of which is the important difference between himself and Dalton.
The inspiration that a bright young motivated quarterback might bring to the team in comparison to Dalton’s measured, veteran approach might also yield benefits. Wide receiver Allen Robinson has been franchise tagged for the coming season after failed contract negotiations for longer terms. The relationship Fields could form with Robinson on the pitch might convince him that the franchise is building a competitive team worth sticking around for.
If Fields has dropped out of the top 8 selections on draft night, Chicago might be tempted to make a big play.