Patriots Fans Should Be Thrilled With Ovation Of Bears’ Justin Fields
Chicago Bears fans showered Justin Fields in cheers at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon.
“We want Justin!” they chanted as the clock ticked down in Chicago’s victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The Week 17 verdict, Chicago’s final home game of the campaign, marked the team’s fourth win in the last five games. Fields, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, played a key role in those results.
“I did hear those chants,” Bears wideout D.J. Moore told reporters after the game, per NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “And I know (the front office’s) box is right there. So I know they heard that stuff, too.”
Bears fans weren’t the only ones voicing support for the third-year quarterback. Fields’ teammates were equally as complimentary of the dual-threat signal-caller, who completed 20 of 32 passes for 268 yards passing while running for 45 yards on 11 carries.
The reaction from Bears teammates and fans will make the front office’s decision all the more difficult. Chicago executives will decide if they want to keep Fields or draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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New England Patriots fans, specifically, should be enthused by Chicago’s embrace of Fields.
After all, if the Bears move forward with Fields, they would not need to draft a quarterback in April. That would give the Patriots, who currently hold the No. 3 pick, a better chance at landing either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Williams and Maye are viewed as the top two quarterbacks available.
Want more good news? If the Bears decide to stick with Fields perhaps they would be more likely to trade the No. 1 overall pick to a team like the Patriots, who still remain atop the board. That would give New England the opportunity to draft its favorite quarterback rather than settling for the one who falls.
A trade for the top pick would come at a cost, of course. But an ESPN report Tuesday indicated the Patriots could be among the teams considering it.
Another thing the Patriots could consider? A trade for Fields if the Bears opt to use their top selection on a quarterback. The price of that trade would be a bit cheaper with ESPN predicting it would take a second or third-round pick to acquire Fields.