Column: The Chicago Bears have Justin Fields. But what if they had actually landed Russell Wilson? 3 NFL executives on which quarterback situation would have been better. By Brad Biggs - May 8th, 2021
If the Chicago Bears are headed for a charmed existence with Justin Fields, the moment the Seattle Seahawks said no thanks to a massive trade offer for Russell Wilson could be the best thing that happened to Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy.
We won’t know for some time, maybe multiple years, if Fields is the long-sought answer to the Bears’ decadeslong dilemma: How in the world can they successfully end their search for a franchise quarterback?
Wilson would emphatically have provided the team with a player they could declare “QB1″ without provoking snickers from the masses as happened when the team tagged Andy Dalton as such.
Depends on how you weigh the advantages of getting a proven QB1 over a potential QB1.
Proven (Wilson) > Potential (Fields) Wilson salary > Field salary (for 5 years that is) Field age > Wilsons age Field wear/tear > Wilson wear/tear Draft picks left over for Fields > Draft picks left over for Wilson
But nothing else matters except the first inequality. Bears were forced to go in on potential instead of proven. Before the draft I would have said Wilson over all the tier 2 QBs they were looking at. Now...I'm leaning Fields.
I think brasilbear makes an excellent point. We are very excited about Fields, and we should be - but that doesn't mean he is a proven great NFL quarterback. He isn't. He seems to have a lot of raw talent that gives him potential. That's "it" though. It's all potential and a hoped for high ceiling.
Wilson is a proven talent. He will be in the Hall of Fame after his career ends.
I just think it's important to temper our excitement over Fields with a dose of reality here. Russell Wilson > unproven rookies and that includes T. Lawrence. 1st round, and even 1st picked in the draft rookie QBs bust. I hope ours does not bust here. I hope Pace can provide Fields with the talent level that allows him to reach his ceiling, and I hope that ceiling is sky high. I hope these coaches, especially Matt Nagy, can help this young man grow into being all we hope for him.
It's all hope now. Nothing is proven. But that being said, I am so pumped and excited that the Chicago Bears drafted Justin Fields. And I do believe Pace, Nagy & this coaching staff can help Fields achieve a level like Russell Wilson. He just isn't "there" yet. On his way though (I hope).
Depends on how you weigh the advantages of getting a proven QB1 over a potential QB1.
Proven (Wilson) > Potential (Fields) Wilson salary > Field salary (for 5 years that is) Field age > Wilsons age Field wear/tear > Wilson wear/tear Draft picks left over for Fields > Draft picks left over for Wilson
But nothing else matters except the first inequality. Bears were forced to go in on potential instead of proven. Before the draft I would have said Wilson over all the tier 2 QBs they were looking at. Now...I'm leaning Fields.
I'm gonna go with Fields by a nose. You're right that "proven" counts for a lot more than "potential" so we gotta hope Fields succeeds and has longevity.
Depends on how you weigh the advantages of getting a proven QB1 over a potential QB1.
Proven (Wilson) > Potential (Fields) Wilson salary > Field salary (for 5 years that is) Field age > Wilsons age Field wear/tear > Wilson wear/tear Draft picks left over for Fields > Draft picks left over for Wilson
But nothing else matters except the first inequality. Bears were forced to go in on potential instead of proven. Before the draft I would have said Wilson over all the tier 2 QBs they were looking at. Now...I'm leaning Fields.
I'm gonna go with Fields by a nose. You're right that "proven" counts for a lot more than "potential" so we gotta hope Fields succeeds and has longevity.
It's up to the Bears now. Will they provide this young QB the talent to succeed here. Or will they do like they did with the past several drafted QBs and not. If Fields isn't given the talent around him to succeed then he won't. It will be "business as usual" here on the Chicago Bears. Just another failed QB. I know Pace is trying. He focused on offense in this draft and he's signed some other guys too. I'm thinking it will take continued attention (the O roster) and not just a nod in this draft to the offense. It's an ongoing commitment to the offense if we expect things to change for the better here. If they do then maybe in 2 or 3 years the team, with Fields, CAN win a championship. But I think the O is going to need the attention that the team has historically given the defense. Pump some serious resources every year towards the O and see if things can turn around here.
Depends on how you weigh the advantages of getting a proven QB1 over a potential QB1.
Proven (Wilson) > Potential (Fields) Wilson salary > Field salary (for 5 years that is) Field age > Wilsons age Field wear/tear > Wilson wear/tear Draft picks left over for Fields > Draft picks left over for Wilson
But nothing else matters except the first inequality. Bears were forced to go in on potential instead of proven. Before the draft I would have said Wilson over all the tier 2 QBs they were looking at. Now...I'm leaning Fields.
Unless you think the SB window was still open in 2021, that first one doesn't really matter as much as the others; IF Fields proves to be a real franchise qb. IMO that more then equals Wilson.
Also, if the Bears were only 400k over the cap after the draft, and had to cut Leno to get over 9mil; who all are they cutting/trading to get Wilson? And if you do think the window would have been open b/c of Wilson, is it still open after they cut 30mil of players?
Depends on how you weigh the advantages of getting a proven QB1 over a potential QB1.
Proven (Wilson) > Potential (Fields) Wilson salary > Field salary (for 5 years that is) Field age > Wilsons age Field wear/tear > Wilson wear/tear Draft picks left over for Fields > Draft picks left over for Wilson
But nothing else matters except the first inequality. Bears were forced to go in on potential instead of proven. Before the draft I would have said Wilson over all the tier 2 QBs they were looking at. Now...I'm leaning Fields.
Unless you think the SB window was still open in 2021, that first one doesn't really matter as much as the others; IF Fields proves to be a real franchise qb. IMO that more then equals Wilson.
Also, if the Bears were only 400k over the cap after the draft, and had to cut Leno to get over 9mil; who all are they cutting/trading to get Wilson? And if you do think the window would have been open b/c of Wilson, is it still open after they cut 30mil of players?
Super Bowl window is always open with a hall of fame QB.
Unless you think the SB window was still open in 2021, that first one doesn't really matter as much as the others; IF Fields proves to be a real franchise qb. IMO that more then equals Wilson.
Also, if the Bears were only 400k over the cap after the draft, and had to cut Leno to get over 9mil; who all are they cutting/trading to get Wilson? And if you do think the window would have been open b/c of Wilson, is it still open after they cut 30mil of players?
Super Bowl window is always open with a hall of fame QB.
no it isn't, which is why you have a HoF qb that wants out of the team north of us, why Wilson wants out of Sea, and why Tom Brady wanted out of NE.