Justin Fields’ Most Likely Trade Destination Revealed If Made Available
GM Ryan Poles made it clear that he remains committed to Justin Fields. Unless something changes drastically in the next few months, he will be the Chicago Bears starting quarterback in 2023. That isn’t a surprise. The 23-year-old made encouraging progress this season despite a new offense and little help around him. Poles likely wants to see what happens when he starts putting more talent on the field. That said, it hasn’t stopped several people from speculating that Chicago might consider pivoting away from Fields.
The primary selling point is the #1 pick. That allows Poles to select any of the top quarterbacks in this draft. If he feels Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or even Will Levis have superstar potential, then trading Fields and taking one of them is the logical choice. Former GM Mike Tannenbaum openly stated the Bears should do this on ESPN. Prominent NFL insider Benjamin Allbright took it a step further, saying it is a legitimate “possibility,” even if Bears fans might hate it.
Allbright wasn’t done. A few hours later, he dropped another interesting nugget, suggesting there is already a likely destination for Fields if the Bears decide to make him available.
Justin Fields to Baltimore makes plenty of sense.
The Ravens are in a difficult spot with star quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s dealing with a PCL injury in his knee and also seeks a lucrative contract extension. Expectations are they will franchise tag him before free agency begins in March. That will only buy time, though. Rumors continue to persist that the two sides aren’t close on money. So Baltimore has a choice. Up their offer or seek an alternative. Fields is a similar athlete to Jackson with the same special running ability. He’d likely be an excellent fit in Baltimore’s current offense.
The Ravens would trade Jackson elsewhere for picks. Chicago would likely get a couple of high draft choices in return for Justin Fields, allowing Poles to take his preferred quarterback at #1. This way, the Bears add more picks to their inventory and hopefully land their franchise guy. It is a sound strategy. Still, it operates under the assumption that Fields isn’t the guy. Many people aren’t ready to admit that possibility. Not after the progress he showed this year.
The more likely outcome is the Bears trade down from #1, stockpile picks, and build around Fields. They will re-evaluate him in 2023. If he improves? Great. If not, they’ll have the ammunition to pursue a quarterback in 2024.