To start, Justin Fields isn’t the issue and replacing him with a new quarterback won’t help either. Here’s a way to look at the situation in Chicago. Fields is currently sitting in a Honda Civic with four flat tires with an empty gas tank. Even if the Bears decide to add LED lights by drafting Caleb Williams, the car still has four flat tires with no gas. Instead of throwing someone into the fire, similar to the situation in Carolina, they should build around Fields and bring in weapons to help him flourish.
There’s a lot of speculation about what direction the Chicago Bears will go in as the NFL draft approaches. After last season’s final stretch, some thought Fields gelled into the guy the Bears were hoping for and others thought he would play his way into the MVP conversation. Now sitting at 6-9, their playoff hopes are slipping away but they have two top 10 picks in the Spring. Should they draft a quarterback or do they load the offense up with talent? Here’s how they should approach the Draft.
Here’s How The Bears Should Approach The Draft
Maserati Marv to Chicago?
Week after week we see they need an elite wide receiver to pair with D.J. Moore. Landing Moore was huge for the Bears and he’s been one of the bright spots for the direction of the team. However, you can’t say the same about the rest of the wide receiver group. They absolutely swung and missed on the Chase Claypool acquisition. Darnell Mooney, their second option at wide receiver only averages 27.6 yards per game and he’s becoming a free agent. Equanimeous St. Brown, who is their third option has missed plenty of time due to injury so hasn’t shown what he’s capable of quite yet.
The reality for the Bears is they may have the least productive receiver group in the entire league and it shows. They’re one of the worst teams in passing yards per game at 182.6 yards per game but there could be many factors that go into that. If they do decide to resign Mooney and target a few names in free agency they should still draft Marvin Harrison Jr to pair with whoever else they bring in to help elevate the offense.
He is expected to officially declare for the draft and miss the team’s bowl game soon. He is the best non-quarterback option in this year’s draft and could be exactly what the Bears are missing. At six-foot-four, he’s a big physical receiver with a big catch radius and 4.3 speed to go with his big body. He’s flashy, fast and they’ll be in awe every time he touches the field. Gus Johnson doesn’t call him “Maserati Marv” for nothing. During his three-year Ohio State tenure he’s tallied 2,613 receiving yards and 31 receiving touchdowns, making him third in Buckeyes history in that category. Without a doubt he would be a game-changer and it should be a no-brainer when the Bears are on the clock.
Protect What’s Yours
You can never have too many linemen, especially with the talented group in this upcoming draft. The Bears offensive line has been a mystery, they’re top 10 in both run-blocking win rate and pass-blocking win rate but they still struggle from time to time and lack depth. Fields has been sacked 36 times but he’s almost missed four games. Some of it could be Fields leaving the pocket too early but his escape ability is a huge reason why the numbers are a lot lower than they are.
The issue with the offensive line is they’re a one-dimensional group despite where they rank in blocking win rates. The Bears love the ground-and-pound game which they excel at when playing to their strengths. They’re second in the league in rushing but they find themselves in games where they have to be a pass-first team. As far as a passing block team they need some help. If they take a playmaker with their first pick they won’t be too far down the board to hopefully grab Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Alabama’s JC Latham. Both are well-balanced offensive linemen that would be impactful in both the run and passing game. Penn State’s Olu Fashanu is another option if the other two aren’t available.
We Like Our Guys
Williams liked and retweeted a tweet saying ” Only one option for the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL draft. It’s not Williams (Caleb), we want Fields. The answer is Harrison Jr.” It seems as if Williams is on the Fields train and believes he’s the answer in the Windy City as well. The Bears have one job during the Spring, get your franchise quarterback a shiny new toy to help turn the team around.
It’s simple Fields is the guy they should trust moving forward. There’s a lot of talk about what he doesn’t do for the team but there’s always room for improvement. Let’s look at the good he does for the franchise. Last year he joined Lamar Jackson and Michael Vick as one of the three quarterbacks to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. They also led the league in rushing for the first time since 1986.
This season he’s the team’s leading rusher and second in rushing touchdowns despite the games he’s missed. They’re in grasp of a final playoff spot, although they’ll need lots of help the next two weeks. Fields hasn’t reached his full potential yet but he’s still able to prove he’s the guy in Chicago.
Main Image: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
