NFL Trade Rumors: ESPN analysts hint at possible Justin Fields exit from Chicago

Justin Fields entered the 2023 NFL season looking to prove his overall value with the Chicago Bears. Despite posting a historic rushing season last year, his struggles as a passer were one of the reasons why the Bears finished with the worst record in the NFL. So far this year, it's been much of the same, including a disappointing 0-4 start.

Fields' continuous struggles to prove himself as a legitimate passer, as well as get the Bears on the winning side of football games, has potentially put his future in Chicago in serious jeopardy. This was a recent topic of debate during an episode of "Get Up," with Dan Orlovsky and Mike Greenberg discussing the possibility of Fields getting traded.

Orlovsky said:

"Chicago and Justin are in a fascinating situation. The question for me right now is, are teams going to call and ask if they can trade for him because he's in his third year. We all know that's a huge year for determining what you are going to do with the guys contract there going forward."

Greenberg responded:

"The Bears are going to have maybe the first two picks in the draft next year. They're going to take Caleb Williams, they're going to move on from Justin Fields. If Justin Fields was the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons right this minute, they would be a thousand times better off."

The Bears traded out of the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and acquired the Carolina Panthers' 2024 first-rounder to do so. This means they could potentially have the first two overall picks in the draft next year, with the Bears and Panthers currently winless.

Caleb Williams is one of the highest-rated quarterback prospects in the last decade, so it would be hard to imagine the Bears passing on him, unless Justin Fields shows drastic improvements fast. Even then they may still go with Williams, as generational quarterback talents are hard to come by.

The opportunity to land Williams, paired with Fields' contract situation, is what makes him a potential trade candidate as the Bears continue their rebuilding process.

Justin Fields' contract suggests he could be traded

Justin Fields

Justin Fields is currently in the third year of his rookie contract with the Chicago Bears. This means that when the offseason arrives, the franchise must make their official decision on whether or not to pick up his fifth-year team option.

If the Bears are in fact interested in drafting Caleb Williams, it wouldn't make much sense to also pick up Fields' contract option. This creates an opportunity to trade their young quarterback in exchange for other future assets, such as more draft picks. This is more valuable to them than allowing Fields to play out the remainder of his contract and leave for nothing in free agency.

If they are exploring the idea of trading him, the sooner they do so, the more they will likely receive in return while he still has flexibility remaining on his contract.