The Chicago Bears have the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and speculation abounds over what they should do with the pick.
Most think they will choose defense and select Will Anderson, Jr from Alabama or Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter. Either pick will net the Bears a superstar and boost a depleted defense.
But two weeks ago, chatter arose that Chicago should trade Justin Fields for draft picks and then draft Bryce Young with the first overall pick.
Why?
That’s akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face. That’s no slight to Young, for while he’s small in stature, he definitely has NFL talent.
But why would you trade a player with a pro-ready body, a cannon for an arm and legs that lets him dust defenders?
Media pundits have obviously learned nothing from their misguided doubt of Jalen Hurts.
When the Eagles finally realized what I had been saying for years, that Jalen Hurts was a baller, they acted decisively, traded for A.J. Brown, designed the offense around Hurts and made the Super Bowl this past season (should have won it, too).
Yet instead of following the blueprint, some are starting a ridiculous narrative about trading Fields.
Some fueled the idea by saying the Bears should move Fields since he didn’t like the cold weather in Chicago.
Seriously? Who does? That wind snatches the souls out of people, so it’s not an endearing element.
Yet that’s no reason to spur this ridiculous narrative.
Some have questioned Fields’ passing ability. But they conveniently forget to note who he threw to; better yet, who he didn’t throw to for he lacked real weapons. Instead, he used his legs to escape from a horrid line and rushed for 1,143 yards and 8 TDs.
Fields also flashed signs of his arm strength, particularly in the Windy City, so the talent is there. All he needs are some weapons and protection and he’ll have the opportunity to show what he can do.
And let’s not forget that in his rookie season, Matt Nagy basically tried to get him killed on the field (interesting that Flores haters claim he tried to ruin Tua yet no one brings up Nagy leaving Fields to fend for his life. But I digress). So last season, his second, was an improvement.
If the Bears read the Eagles’ “Common Sense Offense for Dummies” book, they’d understand the need to commit to talent and acquire a dominant receiver for their QB. At this moment, Chicago should be on the phone with Arizona, trying to pry DeAndre Hopkins out of the desert.
Need more proof than the Eagles? Look at what happened to Josh Allen and the Bills after acquiring Stephon Diggs. Ask Joe Burrow what drafting Ja’Marr Chase meant to him.
So talking heads, leave the trading Fields scenario alone. Instead, focus on what the Bears can do with the number one pick and how they’re going to give Fields what he needs and deserves.
Otherwise, we’ll be forced to listen to ESPN’s Todd McShay play himself once more like he did with Jalen Hurts.
“Jalen Hurts, are you getting an upgrade here? I mean he completed 52%,” said McShay. “In four games he started, he threw three interceptions. He threw four interceptions over the season. I know the stats are similar when you look at Wentz and Jalen Hurts over this past year. I just don’t know that you’re getting a huge upgrade with Hurts. And I just wonder if Philly is comfortable moving Wentz and not bringing in another quarterback for competition, or as a backup or something that kind of gives you a better sense of what’s going to be at that quarterback spot moving forward.
“Because I personally, if I was the general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, I would not feel comfortable going into the season saying, ‘Hurts is the guy. He’s going to take us to the promised land. We believe in him 100%. We don’t even need to bring in another guy.’”
Too late. McShay did it again.
