Patriots Considering Blockbuster Trade For Justin Fields?
After enduring a quarterback carousel amid a disastrous 3-14 season, the New England Patriots are widely expected to take a signal-caller in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Recent hints from first-year coach Jerod Mayo even say as much, but with the potential of both top projected quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye going off the board before New England is on the clock, they could throw in a curveball.
That being a trade for Justin Fields, who is seemingly going to be replaced by whichever quarterback the Chicago Bears select with the No. 1 overall pick, as suggested recently by Bleacher Report.
"New England would give itself a ton of leverage inside the top three for teams looking to trade up to a take a signal-caller themselves," Bleacher Report writes. "And thus, potentially generating more picks while still sitting comfortably enough to select Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. to pair with Fields."
Oct 24, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) passes the ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium.
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Two birds with one stone? That is what Bleacher Report is proposing as a reason why the Patriots should make the move. Assuming the Bears do not ask for the No. 3 pick in exchange for the former first-round pick, the Patriots could use that to either land Fields a top weapon like Harrison Jr. or a blindside protector like Notre Dame's left tackle Joe Alt.
But it isn't that easy. The former Buckeyes quarterback hasn't exactly been the homerun selection that the Bears hoped they were getting in the 2021 NFL Draft. Although, he did show improvement last season with the Bears.
The former Buckeye threw for a career-high 2,562 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes. In addition, Fields rushed for 657 yards and four scores with his legs in 13 games last season.
While Fields may not be a guarantee, if new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt feels confident he can get the best out of the former first-round pick, then trading for him and using the No. 3 pick elsewhere could be a decision that helps the Patriots get back into playoff contention faster.
