Trade Idea: How Falcons Acquire Bears QB Justin Fields

The Atlanta Falcons could be in the mix for a trade involving Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

With the end of the season quickly approaching, many teams have their eyes on the Chicago Bears and what they will do with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Bears could trade the top selection for the second year in a row or they could take USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick.

That could open the door for a Justin Fields trade, and Spotrac suggests that the Atlanta Falcons could be a suitor.

In a projected trade idea, the Falcons would send a second-round pick this year and a 2025 second-round pick with incentives that can turn into a first-rounder "based on production and playing time" to the Bears for Fields.

Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

"Young QB of the future Desmond Ridder was benched multiple times in favor of Taylor Heinicke, who completed less than 60% of his passes with a rating somewhere in the 80’s. It’s a bleak outlook for an otherwise fairly talented roster, begging for an expensive quick fix this March," Spotrac writes.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Falcons may be scouting Fields this week to have him become the next quarterback in Atlanta.

Trading for Fields could be reversing a mistake the Falcons made in 2021.

The Falcons held the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft, with a brand-new regime spearheaded by coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot poised to make their first selection in power.

The three picks ahead of the Falcons were all quarterbacks - the Jacksonville Jaguars took Trevor Lawrence, the New York Jets opted for Zach Wilson and the San Francisco 49ers grabbed Trey Lance.

There were still two highly touted signal callers high on the consensus board - Alabama's Mac Jones and Ohio State's Justin Fields, who played each other in the College Football Playoff National Championship some three months earlier.

Broncos Bench Russ; Falcons QB Option for '24?

Atlanta was believed to be out on Jones, but Fields - the local product who attended Falcons games as a high schooler - seemed like a fine fit for what Smith wanted to do offensively.

And yet, the Falcons opted for Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. The selection provided immediate dividends, as Pitts recorded the second-most receiving yards among rookie tight ends in league history en route to a Pro Bowl nod. However, Pitts has been unable to recapture that rookie year magic with inconsistent quarterback play.

It will take a hefty price, but the Falcons may be able to fix their quarterback woes with a swing for the fences and bring Fields back home to Atlanta this offseason.