The Chicago Bears have announced their week one starting quarterback
The Chicago Bears’ quarterback competition appears to have a winner. Bears head coach Matt Nagy announced on Tuesday that Justin Fields will start Chicago’s final preseason game, but that Andy Dalton will open the season as the starter in week one, according to Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith.
Chicago brought in both Fields and Dalton in the offseason
The Bears signed Dalton prior to the NFL Draft. This didn’t stop them from trading up to select Fields at 11th overall in the draft. Coming out of the draft, it was unclear whether Fields would start immediately, or if he would sit and learn to begin his career.
Throughout camp and the preseason, Fields and Dalton have battled to become the Bears’ starting quarterback. In Chicago’s first preseason game, Dalton threw just four passes, completing two for 18 yards. Fields completed 14-of-20 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown, and he added 33 yards and a touchdown on five rushes. In the Bears’ second preseason game, Dalton completed 11-of-17 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Fields completed nine of his 19 attempts for 80 yards, adding 46 rushing yards.
In his ten-year NFL career, Dalton has thrown for 33,763 yards with 240 total touchdowns and 126 interceptions. The former 2011 second round pick out of TCU signed with the Dallas Cowboys last season to be Dak Prescott’s backup. When Prescott went down to injury, Dalton was a starter yet again. He appeared in 11 games with Dallas, throwing for 2,169 yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Fields is Chicago’s future at quarterback
While he will be on the sidelines watching Dalton to begin the regular season, Fields will undoubtedly be starting soon for the Bears. Some Bears fans want Fields to start as soon as possible. In Chicago’s preseason opener, fans chanted Fields’ name while Dalton was on the field.
Fields adds a dynamic that Dalton cannot offer to the Bears with his ability to run the football. Being able to tuck and run the ball when the pocket collapses is valuable for a quarterback, and that type of skillset fits well into Chicago’s system.
“What happens when you naturally have that, defenses can collapse the pocket and they still can’t get you and you extend plays with your legs, that’s hard for defensive coordinators,” Nagy said. “When you become a runner when they take the pass away, and not just being able to run for 15 or 20 yards but you’re able to take it the distance and go for 70 or 80 which he can do, that’s a whole other element.”
Fields finished third in Heisman voting in 2019 after completing 67.2 percent of his passes with over 3,700 total yards and 51 total touchdowns. Last season, he had 2,400 total yards and 27 total touchdowns.