(670 The Score) Once again, the Super Bowl was won by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, as he led a game-winning drive in overtime and threw the clinching touchdown in a 25-22 victory Sunday.
The best quarterback in football, Mahomes left Las Vegas with the Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl MVP honors.
It's through that prism that the Bears must evaluate their future at quarterback this offseason. With the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft in hand, general manager Ryan Poles should covet Mahomes-type greatness at quarterback. Can three-year starter Justin Fields become a franchise quarterback and lead Chicago to championships? Or are the Bears better suited with a future led by 2022 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams?
Poles and the Bears are well underway in the assessment of their franchise-altering quarterback decision. As the Bears continue their preparations, we'll take a position-by-position look at their roster, starting with quarterback.
Who's under contract: Justin Fields, 24; Tyson Bagent, 23
Free agent: Nathan Peterman, 29
2023 review
In his third NFL season, the 24-year-old Fields displayed growth and made the Bears’ decision more difficult on what comes next at quarterback. He threw for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 games while adding 657 rushing yards. Fields averaged 197.1 passing yards per game in 2023 after averaging 149.5 the previous season. The improvement in the passing game occurred in large part due to the arrival of top receiver DJ Moore, who had 1,364 receiving yards.
Fields’ high point came in early October, when he threw for 617 yards and eight touchdowns over a two-game span. But Fields only once surpassed the 300-yard passing mark in 2023, and the Bears ranked 20th in total offense and 18th in scoring.
Fields had his season interrupted in mid-October, when he suffered a hand fracture that cost him four games. Tyson Bagent, an undrafted rookie out of Division-II Shepherd University, stepped in as the Bears’ starting quarterback, throwing for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions. He's likely to return in a reserve role in 2024.
There are plenty of variables to consider in assessing why Fields didn’t make a bigger ascension in the passing game. The Bears certainly put the blame on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who was fired in January. But Poles also understands what a superstar quarterback can do, as he was a part of the Chiefs' front office when they drafted Mahomes in 2017.
Given that the Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick, Poles needs to evaluate Fields with a critical eye and determine whether he can be a transcendent star who can lead Chicago to a championship. Settling for anything shy of that at the quarterback position would be misguided.
What comes next?
With the confetti having fallen at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday evening, the NFL will now shift its focus to the offseason. The Bears will be at the center of that conversation for the next two-and-a-half months.
This NFL Draft is loaded with quarterback talent, and the Bears have the opportunity to select one of the most coveted prospects in years in Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and who has had scouts in awe of his talent as they project what he can do at the NFL level.
While Fields has proved himself as a capable NFL starter, the Bears will be drawn to the prospect of selecting his replacement. Williams could be a significant improvement over Fields, though there's always risk in starting anew at quarterback.
If Poles wants to continue building around Fields, he'll surely command a massive return in a trade of the No. 1 overall pick. If a trade was conducted with the Commanders, who hold the No. 2 overall pick, the Bears could potentially move down just one slot and select Ohio State star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to give Fields another playmaker.
The Bears haven't finalized their decision yet, but it may become clear in the coming weeks. That’s when Poles could agree to a trade of either Fields or the No. 1 overall pick.
I believe the Bears will trade Fields and draft Williams, as they'll be attracted to his considerable upside as a franchise quarterback. They'll likely trade Fields before the NFL’s new league year begins on March 13, and I expect the Falcons, Raiders and Steelers to be in the mix. The Bears should land a second- and fourth-round pick in return for Fields.
The Bears could also sign a veteran stopgap at quarterback – Jacoby Brissett or Kirk Cousins, who's recovering from a torn Achilles, make sense – though head coach Matt Eberflus hasn't been shy about trusting rookies in starting roles.
There's still plenty to sort out, but I believe Williams will be Chicago’s starting quarterback for the 2024 season opener.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .
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