Bear Digest

DJ Moore Labels Justin Fields a Better Choice

Analysis: As sides continue to be drawn up in the trade Justin Fields-draft Caleb Williams debate, the No. 1 Bears receiver says draft QBs "...don't compare to Justin right now."

Gene Chamberlain

DJ Moore Labels Justin Fields a Better Choice
DJ Moore Labels Justin Fields a Better Choice /
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Shortly after Peter King dropped his Bears bombshell at the end of his retirement announcement, the media world seemed to step in line behind him.

That's not to say everyone retired, but that they all started agreeing with the notion the Bears will trade the first pick of the draft after it seemed fait accompli that they would be trading Fields.

Numerous "insiders" and analysts began tilting the cart in the opposite direction, toward Fields remaining in Chicago with the Bears possibly trading the draft's first pick.

"I still don't think they compare to Justin right now."

-DJ Moore on Caleb Williams and other college QBs compared to Justin Fields

This reversal of thought was stunning but none of this was based on any reported information, only rumor, inklings, hunches and guesses. Even King's comment that they would keep Fields was prefaced with the comment he knows nothing, before he said something which seemed like he knew a lot more than he was suggesting.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said the Bears have already received offers from multiple teams and ... "Chicago is said to be 'leaning toward' moving the pick. So the No. 1 pick now looks like it's for sale."

Actually, it's been for sale all along. It just depends on if the Bears get the right offer for the pick. Poles already said as much back in January when he was open-minded about receiving offers but couldn't envision what anyone would give them.

"So again, I've got to stay open-minded, but it's hard to work the hypothetical in my mind from like a fake trade that would do that. It's tough, " he said. "But I've got to stay open-minded."

On Tuesday at 9:15 a.m., Poles will address media at the combine and most likely will say the same thing he said before: He's open to receiving offers for the pick. That's the equivalent of saying it's for sale. If he doesn't get the offer, then he'd use the pick.

No doubt the media will glom onto this and you'll see media and social media headlines: Bears Put No. 1 Pick Up for Sale. 

People, it's been for sale. You just need the right offer like Poles said in January.

With all the positioning of veteran quarterbacks coming through free agency on March 13, it would seem Poles will need to decide one way or the other within the next two weeks. It's the basis for the report by SI.com's Albert Breer, saying a framework for a trade will be in place at the combine.

The question just appears to be, which trade: Fields or the No 1 pick.

NFL Network's Peter Schrager said basically the same thing Breer did.

"I think a lot of conversations are going to start this week and then we'll see where it finishes up," he said. "I don't think they pull the tigger this week on anything."

With more life being breathed into the keep Fields line of thinking, the opponents were also out in full on Monday.

"On ESPN2's "Unsportsmanlike," former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty ripped Fields' play to date and said therer is no way the Bears can afford to pass up the first pick in the draft for a second straight year.

"So this notion that there isn't enough talent on this (Bears) roster to allow Justin Fields to have success, it's just not true," Canty said. "I mean, they have two solid bookend tackles on the offensive line in Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. They have a No. 1 wide receiver in DJ Moore. They have a relly good tight end in Cole Kmet. They have a solid running game and it has been since Justin Fields has been there.

"I don't understand why we think that Justin Fields doesn't have the requisite supporting cast that it takes in order to have success as an NFL quarterback. Especially, if you think this guy is worth passing up on the No. 1 overall pick not once but twice in two quarterback-rich drafts."

Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd, who no one would ever mistake for a Fields supporter, also blasted the Bears QB and said he expects the Bears to use the first pick instead of trading it.

"Could we all now finally just admit all this 'Bears are keeping Justin Fields rumors was all just to keep his trade value up," Cowherd complained. "If Chicago bailed on Justin Fields in Week 8 or 9, what would he be worth today? I mean the guy hasn't had multiple touchdown passes in a game since Week 5."

Cowherd doesn't think anyone should be firing up big trade offers for Fields, and compared him to another failed QB from the same draft class.

"And they've gone out of their way," he said. "You can't keep blaming the Bears. They went and got some good pieces. Justin's O-line is middle of the pack. His final seven games this year: five TDs, three picks, completion percentage around 60%, and the passer rating in the low 80s against mostly lousy teams. Don't listen to the analytic nerds. Good quarterbacks win close games. He is a dreadful fourth-quarter quarterback. The worst in the league."

Cowherd actually said he's the equivalent in second halves to Jets QB Zach Wilson.

The negative nabobs couldn't deter one guest and supporter of Fields on an NFL Network show. Bears receiver DJ Moore, Justin Fields' good friend and target, appeared on NFL Total Access and was asked about the incoming crop of college QBs.

"I still don't think they compare to Justin right now," Moore said.

Moore thinks they might be better off adding one extremely talented receiver in particular and a member of the same track club he used to belong to in his younger days: Marvin Harrison Jr. To do it would probably mean the Bears trade down out of the top spot to No. 2 or 3.

"I'm going to say, yeah, we could add another receiver," Moore said. "They've got some real talented ones. I know Marvin so that would be a choice of mine."

Fields throwing to Harrison and Moore might even be enough to get some of the critics to lay off of the Bears QB, provided he delivers the ball on time and accurately.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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