Word surfaced shortly after the Senior Bowl that teams have already approached the Chicago Bears about a potential Justin Fields trade. While the team isn’t actively shopping him, they’re listening to offers. The general consensus is that GM Ryan Poles will likely decide after the scouting combine at the end of this month. That is where all the top NFL executives will be, giving him a perfect opportunity to do some serious negotiating. It’s where he put together the blockbuster deal with Carolina last year.
The apparent sticking point is which teams might be involved. There is no shortage of those who need a quarterback. Not all of them will find their answer in the draft. In fact, most of them won’t. That leaves them with a decision. They can either take their chances in free agency or they can pursue a trade for Fields. National insider Jordan Schultz of The Score appeared on CBS Sports Radio to discuss the situation. From what he’s hearing, at least one team is positioning itself to be involved in the Fields sweepstakes.
Several factors lean into it. For one, Fields is a Georgia native. He went to high school and his first year of college there. There is also the fact Ryan Pace has a high spot in Atlanta’s front office. He was the one who traded up for Fields in 2021. Thinking he’d be pushing for a reunion isn’t a stretch. The Falcons obviously need a quarterback. They can’t go another year with Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke. One big obstacle in their way is sitting 8th in the 1st round. That isn’t high enough to secure one of the top three projected quarterbacks. In other words, they will either have to move up or settle for the fourth-best option on the board.
Not ideal.
Conversely, trading for Justin Fields would enable them to keep their 1st round pick while giving them a clear upgrade at the position. The NFC South is a weak division. They have a strong enough roster to make a run. All they need is somebody decent enough at quarterback. Selling ownership on Fields wouldn’t be too difficult. Whether they can make an offer that will entice Poles is another story. Atlanta has a 2nd and two 3rd round picks. The 2nd and one of those 3rds would probably be enough to close a deal. As always, it depends on how much they’re willing to pay.
