As the 2023 NFL season winds down there will be plenty of juicy offseason storylines. One of the biggest will be what will the Chicago Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick.
If they were to choose a quarterback, it would most likely be USC Trojans star and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.
Will Chicago Bears Trade Justin Fields? DJ Moore Says No
If they do that it also means they’ll need to trade current QB Justin Fields who has shown some real growth this season. But is it enough for the Bears to stand pat and pass up drafting a player with the top overall pick for the second consecutive year?
If it were up to Bears star receiver D.J. Moore, Fields would definitely be the choice going forward. The first-year Bears wide receiver has already secured his fourth 1100-yard season, and the six-year vet is just 50 yards from setting a new career-high.
Moore Standing On Fields As His QB
Following Sunday’s (20-17) loss to the Cleveland Browns, Moore made it clear that he doesn’t believe any of the 2024 NFL Draft class quarterbacks are better than Fields.
On Monday, during his weekly appearance on the “Molly and Haugh” show, Moore reiterated his stance on Fields.
“Just being here for the the whole season now and part of the offseason, I’ve seen him grow and I can see where he wants to be and where he’s headed towards,” Moore said. “So I’m like, I don’t really see how they could say that he’s not the quarterback for the Chicago Bears right now.
“He’s been doing everything that’s asked of him, keeping us in games and stuff like that. His growth has been phenomenal, I would say. The outside noise, I’ve heard it for two weeks now from the media in the locker room and they’ve got to do it, to do it. But at the end of the day, I’m standing by what I said this past weekend,” Moore added.
While Moore has said it loud and clear via the media, he says he hasn’t gone to the front office directly, citing he doesn’t want to be a distraction. Saying it through the media is a distraction as well, so if Moore truly feels that strongly about Fields maybe he should walk into GM Ryan Pace and CEO Kevin Warren’s office and voice his opinion and feelings. As the Bears’ best offensive player, Moore’s opinions hold weight.
Despite Moore’s Feelings, Fields Needs A Reset
As much as Moore wants to keep Fields around, it may be in the best interest of both parties that Fields is traded. He’s currently finishing up his third season, and the likelihood that the Bears pick up his fifth-year option is slim. So next season would be his last under his rookie contract, and then it would be time to talk mega deal.
Lastly, there’s no way the Bears could justify trading the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back drafts with some quality QB prospects in both drafts. And moving Fields will bring back a pick or two, something they can either package to get another quality vet or use to build team depth.
This relationship has run its course, and with the Fields to Atlanta train gaining steam each and every week, the logistics of that move seem to work out for all parties involved.
