Bear Digest

Potential Available QBs Driving Marketplace

Analysis: Why the Bears could find a dwindling marketplace for Justin Fields should they decide to trade him.

Gene Chamberlain

Potential Available QBs Driving Marketplace
Potential Available QBs Driving Marketplace /
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The build up to March 11 free agency and this Tuesday's 3 p.m. beginning of franchise tags have made on thing apparent in terms of Justin Fields' trade value.

Teams looking for someone to come in and take over the position have plenty of options and this only drives down what the Bears could get in return by dealing Fields.

The free agent market already could include starters Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Ryan Tannehill as well as NFL Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco

Then there are starters with teams who will likely be released, like Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo.

As a result, a report from Pittsburgh that the Steelers will not be interested in Justin Fields might have shocked a few Pittsburgh fans and even Caleb Williams fans who want a good return on a Bears trade of their current QB.

The report by Pittsburgh area columnist and radio personality Gerry Dulac, who covers the Steelers and hosts a golf radio show, says the Steelers are not interested in bringing in a veteran like Fields.

Because the Steelers have the 20th pick of Round 1 and a pick in Round 2, the trade of Fields there seemed a possibility.

This report strikes down that possibility.

Immediately on social media there were complaints about past Dulac reports that turned out to be incorrect. This one says they want to give Kenny Pickett one last try and let Mason Rudolph compete with him on level footing after he went 3-0 in regular season as their starter last year.

If you're the Steelers or any one of several other teams with QBs who have a possible need at quarterback, the other options plus drafting one of the players available this year might be a better option than trading for Fields, anyway. Mayfield and Flacco both led teams into the playoffs last year.

So why wouldn't a team simply sign one of those to compete with a QB or QBs they have already and avoid giving up draft picks to a team trying to unload a player whose best season as a passer was an 86.3 passer rating even with DJ Moore as his main target?

The report from Pittsburgh makes sense from this standpoint.

The dual threat from Fields is a drawing point but Lamar Jackson had this and didn't get into a Super Bowl during an MVP season again. Josh Allen can run but in the end it's his arm doing the greatest damage. Ultimately, Patrick Mahomes doesn't win Super Bowls with his legs.

It's like Luke Getsy said when he talked to Las Vegas Raiders media last week: It's good to have that ability to escape and pick up first downs.

However, in the end you need someone to pass the ball and the running backs can run. 

There are plenty of options for teams to sign QBs at bargain rates who are not entirely used up and can bridge a gap until a drafted player or younger starter has his footing. They can even be good options to win games, and besides cash, they'll probably cost a team nothing.

So it will be no shock if the Bears find the marketplace for Fields much lower than anticipated if they do plan on trading him. Teams could pass on the runner for the passers.

And if they don't trade him but they draft Caleb Williams, imagine the televised drama in the QB room if the Bears are told they must be the team for HBO's Hard Knocks this year.

Passer Comparison

QB, Age

Career Rating

Completion %

Yards/Attempt

Win Pct.

Kirk Cousins, 35

98.2

66.9

7.6

.531

Jimmy Garoppolo, 32

97.6

67.4

8.2

.682

Baker Mayfield, 28

88.1

61.9

7.2

.465

Russell Wilson, 35

100.0

64.7

7.7

.612

Ryan Tannehill, 35

91.2

64.3

7.3

.536

Joe Flacco, 39

84.2

61.2

6.8

.557

Justin Fields, 24

82.3

60.3

7.0

.263

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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