Most analysts believe the Chicago Bears will select USC star Caleb Williams as the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
What happens with former first-round pick Justin Fields remains to be seen. Fields is 10-28 as a starting quarterback with Chicago since being the 11th overall selection in the 2021 draft. Bears General Manager Ryan Poles stated at the 2024 Scouting Combine that the organization would “do right” by Fields while trying to find a trade partner.
The issue is that negotiations have been very quiet for Fields, and that’s been enough to anger an NFL analyst.
Damien Woody Bashes NFL Coaches for Lack of Justin Fields Trade Interest
Damien Woody has never been shy about his feelings about how NFL teams treat current players. As a former Pro Bowl offensive lineman, he made it clear on ESPN’s Get Up that he was disappointed with the current market for Fields’ services.
“This whole thing pisses me off. So many of these coaches ask if this guy can play in my system. That’s not what coaching is!” Woody demanded Monday morning. “You mean to tell me there aren’t coaches that can look at Justin Fields and what he’s done, and you can’t make a plan to get this young man going?”
Fields has completed just 60% of his passes through his first three seasons but has shown a penchant for being an effective runner. The former Ohio State product recorded over 1,000 yards rushing in 2022 and has over 2,000 yards on the ground in his career.
It’s the effectiveness, or lack thereof, as a passer, that has been the reason why the Bears have been unable to find a trade partner. Fields has been among the worst fourth-quarter quarterbacks in the NFL over the last three seasons and has not completed over 61% of his passes in a single season.
To an analyst like Woody, though, it says more about the coaching staff than Fields’ talent.
“I just think it’s an indictment on the coaches in our league that no one has a plan to try to get this talent.”
Fields’ market could open up later in the free agent market with quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins looking for long-term deals of their own. Sunday evening, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson to a one-year deal, taking another team out of the Fields’ potential trade sweepstakes.
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Once free agent quarterbacks get signed, the market could significantly change for Fields’ services. Until then, though, the Bears seem prepared to hold on to their former perceived franchise quarterback for the time being.
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