Chicago Bears GM talks Justin Fields
The talk of the summer has been whether or not Justin Fields should start for the Chicago Bears. Now, Bears general manager Ryan Pace is joining the conversation.
Prior to the Bears’ opening game against the Los Angeles Rams, Pace summed up the decision to keep Fields on the bench with one sentence.
“There’s no need to rush Justin,” Pace said.
Evidently, the Bears are going to take their time with Fields. However, if Andy Dalton isn’t getting the job done, the calls for Fields to be the starter will only continue to grow.
Justin Fields Preseason Numbers
Though preseason production only tells part of the story for any developing quarterback, it’s hard for Bears fans to ignore what they saw from Fields.
He showed his dual threat ability, completing 30 of 49 passes for 276 yards with two touchdowns and a 90.2 passer rating while also leading the Bears in rushing with 92 yards and one TD on 11 carries.
Pace was open and honest when describing Fields’ poise and confidence.
“We obviously knew about the arm talent, the athleticism, the work ethic, all those things,” Pace said. “But when you get him out there in an NFL environment, he stays calm in the moment.
“His heart rate stays low. He processes fast. He goes through progressions. I think you feel like you see a lot of young quarterbacks who kind of stare down an intended target. [But] you see him working through his progressions which I think is really good to see from a young quarterback.”
Drew Brees on Fields, Dalton
While Drew Brees is one of the greats in the history of the NFL, he’s been in the position that Dalton sits in currently. Back when he was with the San Diego Chargers, the franchise drafted Phillip Rivers to be his replacement.
Brees spoke on the Bears decision, and why he believes starting Dalton is the correct one.
“You have to start Andy Dalton because he’s a veteran,” Brees said on the Sunday Night Football broadcast. “He’s got experience. And if things don’t go well, then it may be a quick pull to put in a guy like Justin Fields to create a spark.”
Furthermore, Brees mentioned that the pressure the situation puts on Dalton will either propel him to solid play or catapult Fields into the starting position.
“Listen, that puts pressure on Andy. And it also puts Justin in a position where he doesn’t feel the pressure of the preparation of being a starting quarterback yet. He can still learn. He can come off the bench and make the plays if you needed to.”
Justin Fields will see the field as the Bears starter in 2021, when Chicago makes the switch is the question..
On3’s Sean Labar and Simon Gibbs contributed to this article.