While the Super Bowl is on everyone’s mind, I must admit that I’ve been wondering about the offseason of an NFL team that has been out of playoff contention for virtually the entire season. The Bears will make the most critical decision of any team in the coming months, as they have the first pick in the 2024 draft after dealing with the Panthers prior to last year’s draft. In a quarterback class that might see a few talents fall off the board in Round 1, Chicago is in position to start the QB carousel.
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Depending on who you ask, the Bears may already have their quarterback of the future. As appealing as probable top picks Drake Maye or Caleb Williams would be in a Chicago uniform, Justin Fields’ highlight reel is as eye-catching and entertaining as any other signal-caller’s. Fields has demonstrated big-play ability since being drafted 11th overall in 2021, but he has struggled with consistency and has not remained healthy. If you’re a Fields fan, you’re probably blaming it on a lackluster supporting cast and coaching staff. If you’re a skeptic, you blame most of it on Fields, who has started 38 NFL games.
I am not here to evaluate Fields, Maye, Williams, or any of the other quarterbacks in this class. Instead, I’d like to consider the possibilities available to Bears general manager Ryan Poles and try to determine what history suggests he should do with the top pick. To get there, we must determine what Fields’ future might look like in a Chicago uniform, how much the Bears would receive in a trade for Fields or the No. 1 pick, and how much surplus value each pick is projected to bring to the organization.
