Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields played in two preseason games, and in those games, he passed for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
Those numbers sound like the former Ohio State Buckeyes star was spraying the football all over the field in hi short duty, when technically he only completed two very long screen passes that his receivers took for touchdowns.
In reality, Fields probably made 3- to 5-yard throws, and receivers like speedy new acquisition D.J. Moore did their jobs and just outran everyone to paydirt.
While social media praised Fields for his efforts, in theory his effect on either very long play was minimal at best. It also raised the eyebrows of an anonymous NFL scout who says Fields still hasn’t shown the ability to play the position from the neck up.
Anonymous Scout Questions Fields’ Ability To Go Through Progressions
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune covers all things Chicago Bears daily, and he said in speaking with a scout from another NFC team, the scout told him that despite all the hype around Fields, he still has a huge problem.
“I know there is a lot of hype of around Fields because of the plays he made with his legs last year. That and the talent upgrades have created a lot of hype. To me, his eyes are the biggest issue. Still a big question mark if he can see the field and works through progressions. He wants to run first, drops his eyes to the rush and looks for running lanes too often. Hard to succeed when that’s the case.”
This was true last year when Fields rushed for 1,143 yards, the second-most ever by a quarterback in a single season, trailing only Lamar Jackson from the 2019 season. But, to Fields’ credit, his offensive line was putrid and his receivers weren’t anything special. So Fields using his legs was often out of necessity to escape getting killed.
Fields definitely need to see the field better like most young quarterbacks and the Bears hope he begins to do that this season.
Bears Added Some Solid Pieces To Help Fields
The biggest move the Bears made in the offseason was getting Fields a real No.1 receiver in Moore. Chicago also used its first-round pick in the draft to take massive tackle Darnell Wright out of Tennessee.
Those two additions alone should help keep Fields upright in the pocket and allow him to become a more decisive and accurate passer with his arm. While Fields’ third year probably won’t be as dramatic an elevation as the one Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts just experienced in 2022, it’ll be something to build on going forward.
