A new report from the NFL Network Sunday morning suggests the Chicago Bears will wait weeks, if not months, to announce their final decon quarterback, Justin Fields. The Bears have two major decisions riding on their Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers, as head coach Matt Eberflus is on the hot seat.
Per Ian Rapoport, Fields, who is 10-27 with the Bears, would reach (infamously) legendary status in Chicago if he earns a win Sunday that would eliminate the Packers from a postseason berth. Rapoport said the Bears have not made their final decision on whether they would trade him this offseason or retain him in 2024.
The Chicago Bears are delaying their announcement on Fields
Rapoport said the Bears will decide on the “economics” of keeping Fields or resetting the clock with a rookie quarterback. While Fields has shown some promise of being a franchise quarterback, the Bears’ number one position in the 2024 NFL Draft could be too fortunate for the front office to pass up.
From @NFLGameDay: #Bears QB Justin Fields would be a legend for knocking the #Packers out of the playoffs. He's played great. But that doesn't mean a decision about the future is made. pic.twitter.com/3igOdOPlhz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2024
Many Bears fans on social media find it surprising the front office is putting so much weight on one game before deciding the outcome of Eberflus and Fields. The result of the Packers game probably will have more of an effect on Eberflus’ job than Fields.
The delay in announcing the decision on Fields is pretty apparent. The Bears cannot trade Fields until March 13, the beginning of the new league year. If the Bears were going to keep Fields, they’d signal to the league they were willing and ready to get a bidding war on for the first overall pick, like Ryan Poles did last offseason.
The Bears would have no reason to keep their franchise quarterback in the dark about his future position in the organization. They’d have their full support and confidence around Fields if he were the guy.
For now, the Bears brass is only delaying the inevitable.
