5 realistic landing spots for Justin Fields after his ‘probable’ exit from the Chicago Bears

Check out the possible best destinations for Justin Fields if the Bears move on from him.

5 realistic landing spots for Justin Fields after his ‘probable’ exit from the Chicago Bears

Justin Field (Image via IMAGO)

As the 2024 NFL draft draws closer, Justin Fields could find himself hunting for a new home because the Chicago Bears may cash in their No. 1 pick. With quarterback talents such as Caleb Williams and Drake Maye up for grabs, the Bears will likely not waste the opportunity.

Was it really Fields fault that he ended up in Chicago in 2021? Perhaps not. The Bears were led by Matt Nagy, who was hanging by a thread. To begin with, Nagy wasn’t the best fit for Fields’ talents. Being a disciple of Andy Reid, Nagy preferred to spread the ball and play expansive football. However, Fields’ strength is not just his hand but also his feet.

YouTube video

In college, the 24-year-old scored a combined 19 rushing touchdowns in three seasons while playing for Georgia and then Ohio State. But Nagy did not utilize this talent, eventually relying more on his throwing prowess but having nobody to throw to.

FS Video

What led the Chicago Bears to think about parting ways with Justin Fields?

After Nagy left, the Bears appointed former Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as their head coach, along with Luke Getsy as their offensive coordinator. Getsy’s style of play suited Fields more, which involved making opportunistic runs and occasional shot passes. It worked in patches because, again; he had no one to deliver the ball.

5 realistic landing spots for Justin Fields after his 'probable' exit from the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) is seen during the second half of an NFL, American Football Herren, USA football game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions in Detroit (Image via IMAGO)

With a 28th-ranked offensive line covering him and a receiving core comprising Darnel Mooney, who isn’t exactly a lights-out playmaker, and tight end Cole Kmet, who had yet to bud into a good receiver, Fields was limited in his distribution. The Bears addressed the situation by trading for DJ Moore.

They fixed the O-line by drafting right tackle Darnell Wright and second-year left tackle Braxton Jones, who improved from his rookie year. But they hit a home run, trading for defensive end Montez Sweat from the Commanders midway through the season. Sweat had 12.5 sacks in 2023, fixing the once-leaky line. 

Moore, on the other hand, registered his best stats with Fields as his quarterback. The former Panther had 96 catches for 1364 receiving yards, 8 touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown. The 26-year-old batted for his QB, suggesting that the Bears shouldn’t part ways with Fields.

Even Kmet had an improved campaign. He played all 17 games and caught 73 passes for 719 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Amidst the Fields trade rumors, Kmet criticized the NFL, saying that the process is unfair.

I have had a good rapport with Justin [Fields] over the past couple of years, and I've seen my game continue to elevate with him at quarterback. But at the end of the day, they are going to make decisions that lead to winning, and unfortunately, we haven't done enough of that over the past couple of seasons.
Kmet said

5 landing spots for Justin Fields

Fields himself fueled the fire. He recently unfollowed the Chicago Bears Instagram account. This could indicate that he has information that it’s time to say goodbye to Chicago. As a matter of fact, he had already accepted his fate long ago.

To the City of Chicago, love ya’ll. Appreciate the fans and the support from all the [Bears], you know, and in case this is my last rodeo with ya’ll, appreciate ya’ll for everything.
Fields said after the final game of the 2023 season
5 realistic landing spots for Justin Fields after his 'probable' exit from the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears quarterback 1 Justin Fields runs with the ball during a game against the Atlanta Falcons in Chicago (Image via IMAGO)

Keeping that in mind, here are the 5 best places where Justin Fields can revive his NFL career.

5. New England Patriots

Similar to the Bears, the New England Patriots hold a high draft pick, which could help them land Jayden Daniels or JJ McCarthy. But neither of the two can hold a candle to Williams or Maye.

This could prompt the Patriots to think about addressing their other weak area, which is the receiver spot. Their best receiver was tight end Hunter Henry, who had 42 catches for 419 receiving yards and six touchdowns. With arguably the best receiving talent since Randy Moss in the 2024 draft in the shape of Marvin Harrison Jr., drafting a quarterback in the top 10 for the Pats doesn’t make much sense.

Instead, they should pursue the cheaper and more proven option of Justin Fields. If the new head coach, Jerod Mayo, doesn’t want to rely on either Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe as the starter, then Fields isn’t a bad option.

4. Denver Broncos

If not released, then how about a trade? The Denver Broncos are in a slightly similar situation but on the same boat. Russell Wilson looks set to move on from the Broncos, which leaves the quarterback spot vacant. If the Broncos approach a trade with the Bears for Fields, then it sounds logical. 

However, if the Bears front office does accept the offer, then they would also have to agree to pay Wilson’s astronomical salary. He will earn $35 million against the Broncos salary cap, with $17 million in salary for this season. It will carry forward to the Bears. 

3. Las Vegas Raiders

Another likely destination could be the Las Vegas Raiders. With Jimmy Garoppolo on the fringes of being released after his suspension, the Raiders’ only remaining quarterback is second-year man Aidan O’Connell. While Antonio Pierce trusted the fourth-round pick to take over from Garoppolo, he can easily upgrade before the 2024 season.

Fields will be a good fit considering he will get to work under Getsy, who jumped ship to the Sin City. Getsy had high praise for his former quarterback, claiming he was a good human being.

One of the best human beings I’ve ever gotten to work with. The mentality that he brought every day, the consistent approach, and the kind of man that he is. It was a blessing to work with him. 
Getsy told the Chicago Sun-Times

The Raiders hold the 13th pick in the 2024 NFL draft. They can either trade for a quarterback or trade up for a quarterback.

2. Chicago Bears

While it’s increasingly likely that the Bears would end up trading Fields, considering the front office has had several offers in the last few days, they could easily choose to stick with the fourth-year QB. Even though he will be playing under another new offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron (ex-Seahawks), Eberflus is still in Chicago, so general manager Ryan Poles could play smart and keep Fields, and add players around him.

WWE star and massive Bears fan Seth Rollins chimed in with his thoughts. Rollins advised the Bears to keep Fields and select the best wide receiver in the draft.

I'm a Fields guy, man, I'm a Fields guy. He's got the capability to take a team to the Super Bowl, and I'd like it to be my team and not somebody else's team. [And] I want Marvin Harrison.
Rollins said

Even the Bears fans indicated whom they wanted to see as their future QB. They chanted Fields’ name at Soldier Field when the news broke that he might leave.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons need a quarterback, and they are actively searching for one, whether it’s from free agency or a trade. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, in an interview with ESPN, said,

Whether it's a pocket guy, whether it's a guy that can move around a little bit, we're just looking for the best guy that we can do.

That’s because neither of the Falcons’ designated QBs, Taylor Heinicke or Desmond Ridder, has proven to be a starter for the team. Ridder ranked 26th among 30 with a 40.1 QBR in the league. Heinicke, on the other hand, is a good backup at best. 

General Manager Terry Fontenot, in an interview with the NFL Report Show’s Steve Wyche, revealed that they will evaluate QBs first and then move in for him.

You're never going to look at a report from last year or the year before. We're going to look at the evolution of players. So, yes. We have to be detailed and evaluate players in every phase.

The Falcons don’t have a high draft pick. So if they want to sort out their quarterback conundrum, then Justin Fields could be a solid fit.

 In case you missed it: