Bears Talk

● By Bryan Perez
Justin Fields is the most important player on the Chicago Bears. And it's not just because he's the quarterback. We actually don't know if he is the quarterback, which is why he holds the keys to the most important offseason the team has had ... since last year. The best-case scenario for the Bears is for Fields to cement his status as not only Chicago's franchise quarterback but also its best player, regardless of position. When an NFL team's best player is their quarterback, a lot of wins and playoff appearances follow. That's who Fields has to be, and he has seven games to prove he either is or can be, that guy. The Bears need to know the answer to that critical question ... soon. If the 2024 NFL draft were held today, Chicago would hold the first overall pick (thanks, Carolina!) in a draft class with two quarterbacks worthy of being the first player selected: USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye. GM Ryan Poles passed on Bryce Young and ... gulp ... CJ Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft because of his confidence in Fields; he won't make that same decision this April if Fields doesn't dominate consistently over the final two months of the season.