The Bears entered the 2024 NFL offseason facing a key decision. Would they roll with Justin Fields as their starting quarterback for another season or spend the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on a quarterback like Caleb Williams?
All signs point toward the Bears drafting Williams and giving Fields a fresh start with a new team.
There's just one problem. No team seems to want to trade for Fields.
Many believed that a Fields trade would be one of the first quarterback moves of the 2024 NFL offseason. The Bears were reportedly holding trade talks about the 2021 first-round pick ahead of the NFL Combine, so a deal before, during, or just after that event seemed possible.
Instead, Fields remains in Chicago as players like Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, Russell Wilson, Gardner Minshew, and even Sam Darnold have found new homes. With available starting quarterback jobs across the NFL starting to dwindle, there are now questions about whether Fields will be a starter in 2024 or if he'll have to settle for a backup job.
Here's what to know about Justin Fields and his status as the NFL offseason continues.
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Justin Fields trade rumors
Fields was the subject of plenty of trade rumors and speculation on the first day of free agency, but no trade materialized. Many of Fields' potential landing spots added quarterbacks during free agency, which further complicates his path to a starting job with a new organization.
The Falcons were mentioned frequently in connection with Fields during the offseason. They were the betting favorite to land him ahead of free agency, but they added veteran Kirk Cousins on a four-year deal worth up to $180 million. That almost certainly eliminates them from the Fields sweepstakes.
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The Raiders were among the next teams reported to be "kicking the tires" on Fields given his familiarity with Las Vegas offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, per The Athletic's Vic Tafur. Just minutes after that report, the Raiders signed quarterback Gardner Minshew to a two-year deal worth up to $25 million.
The Vikings were also connected to Fields after Cousins left the team. The organization held interest in Fields before the 2021 NFL Draft, per The MMQB's Albert Breer. He noted that was under a different brain trust, but Minnesota looked like a potential landing spot.
The Vikings agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with Sam Darnold in the wee hours on Tuesday. That won't preclude them from adding a young quarterback to the fold, like Fields, but this move makes them less reliant on a trade with their divisional rival.
Perhaps this lack of interest in Fields shouldn't be a surprise. The market for the 25-year-old quarterback was believed not to be "as robust as the Bears and Justin Fields would like it to be," per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"There’s not this huge number of teams lined up to trade for Justin Fields as the Bears look to find a home for him before free agency begins in about 10 days," Schefter said March 2.
There might be a reason for that. The Bears may not yet be seriously shopping Fields, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
"The Chicago Bears seem to be open to trading Fields," Rapoport said on NFL Network Monday. "They have really not yet engaged, really not yet started that process. [They] want to make sure that Caleb Williams is their guy at No. 1."
Rapoport conceded that the Bears are missing out on potential landing spots for Fields if that is the case. The NFL insider also explained that Chicago hadn't yet made it's decision about the No. 1 overall pick, so that may be delaying a potential Fields trade.
"This is not a Justin Fields discussion. This is a Caleb Williams No. 1 overall pick discussion," Rapoport said Tuesday. "What the Chicago Bears are committed to doing — and really, what they've been committed to doing the entire time — is fully evaluating the quarterbacks they could take at No. 1, including Caleb Williams."
Why haven't the #Bears traded Justin Fields? Well: This isn't a Justin Fields situation, it's a Caleb Williams situation. Let me explain... pic.twitter.com/zmOAIqA26O
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
Once the Bears make a decision about the No. 1 pick, they will then make a decision about Fields, Rapoport says. That may not come until later in the draft process or in the final lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Either way, Fields remains with the Bears, and it isn't entirely clear where he might land next.
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Where will Justin Fields go?
Fields could still land with teams like the Raiders and Vikings, who have stopgap quarterback options but aren't guaranteed to land solid developmental passers in the 2024 NFL Draft.
If those teams are truly uninterested in Fields, only a few options remain for him as a starter but several organizations may like to acquire him as a backup.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are moving on from Russell Wilson and sat out the first wave of quarterback free agency in 2024. Jarrett Stidham and XFL star Ben DiNucci are the only signal-callers currently on Denver's roster, so adding another quarterback seems necessary. Getting one they like with the 12th overall pick is no guarantee.
The Broncos could ride with a veteran like Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, or Joe Flacco, but they could also pursue Fields as a high-upside passer for Sean Payton to develop. He could develop on the field as a starter and give the Broncos more dual-threat playmaking ability than Wilson.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans are rebuilding and may be content to roll with Will Levis as their starting quarterback, but Brian Callahan may view Fields' availability as an opportunity. Tennessee could trade for Fields and have him battle with Levis for the starting job as each young passer looks to prove himself at the NFL level.
Tennessee has only Malik Willis behind Levis at present, so Fields would be an upgrade over him at a minimum. The idea of pairing Fields and Pollard as two big-time acquisitions could be enough to convince general manager Ran Carthon to surrender draft capital while using the No. 7 pick to add another elite player to the Titans' lackluster offense.
New York Giants
The Giants are a solid dark horse candidate for Fields. They gave Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million extension last season, but he failed spectacularly in his attempt to live up to it. New York is stuck with him for at least one more season, but the Giants are expected to add young competition for him. They are even rumored to be considering using the No. 6 pick on a quarterback, per the New York Post.
Realistically, the Giants shouldn't draft a quarterback at No. 6 unless one of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye unexpectedly slips to them. But dealing some mid-round draft capital to acquire Fields? That would be a shrewder move and allow them to use their early-round picks to continue building up their offensive line and receiving corps.
Philadelphia Eagles
Now, onto the teams where Fields could be a backup. The Eagles are one that KOA Colorado's Benjamin Allbright mentioned could make sense for Fields. It's easy to understand why, as Fields' mobility makes him an ideal scheme fit behind Jalen Hurts while Marcus Mariota is a free agent.
Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore could work to develop Fields behind the scenes and then offer him a strong offensive line and great receiving corps — plus Saquon Barkley — if he needs to start. That makes Philly arguably Fields' best landing spot if he's forced into a backup role.
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Indianapolis Colts
Allbright also mentioned the Colts as a landing spot for Fields, and they are another good fit. Shane Steichen developed Anthony Richardson — a raw, toolsy rookie — into a playmaking starter who looked poised for a big year before getting injured early. Steichen could see similar potential in Fields, and that could prompt the Colts to make a buy-low move.
Add in Richardson's injuries from last season along with the departure of Gardner Minshew, and Fields might get a chance to play in Indianapolis.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have a new regime, and new regimes often mean new quarterbacks. Mike Macdonald comes from the Ravens where he saw firsthand the damage that a mobile quarterback like Lamar Jackson can do. Fields isn't at his level, but his game-breaking ability may endear him to Macdonald.
Seattle has just one quarterback on its roster right now, 33-year-old Geno Smith. He is still entrenched as the Seahawks' starter, but Fields could become a nice successor for the veteran quarterback.
