Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has six games left in the 2023 season to prove to GM Ryan Poles that he is the franchise quarterback this team needs to build a winning program.
Sounds familiar, right?
Before Week 11's strong showing against the Detroit Lions, Fields had 'seven games to prove he's the guy.' Now, even after a good performance, he's down to six. And if he blows the doors off the Minnesota Vikings' defense in Week 12, he'll have 'five games to prove it.'
No matter what Fields does in the next game, he'll only be as good as the rest of his games this year.
I get it. It comes with the territory of being a first-round quarterback who still hasn't established himself as the clear-cut guy after 2.5 seasons in the league. No matter how big of Justin Fields fan you are, it's common sense. The Bears won't commit to Fields unless he earns their trust over the next month and a half.
What makes it a slightly unfair fight for Fields, though, is the 2024 NFL Draft. With every Carolina Panthers loss, the Chicago Bears inch closer to having the No. 1 overall pick. And in a draft class that will send two blue-chip quarterbacks to the NFL in April, it's impossible for the Bears not to have a wandering eye.
It's especially true when one of those quarterbacks is Caleb Williams (USC), who's generally viewed as a generational prospect.
You don't pass up guys like Williams, especially if Fields is only slightly above average down the stretch.
In the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from ESPN, the Bears take Williams even with the possibility that Fields could play well.
"If Fields does play well over the Bears' final six games -- he looked good on Sunday against the Lions -- but the team continues to lose, it makes for an even more interesting decision for Poles," ESPN's Jordan Reid wrote. "He has to weigh all of his options. But how can you pass up Williams?"
It's a question that will haunt Poles for several months if the Bears end the season on the clock.
"Williams is special and has the talent to eventually change the trajectory of a franchise," Reid continued. "And while Chicago moved back this past spring when it had the No. 1 pick, there just isn't a scenario where any trade offer would make me trade back this time."
I've said this before, and I'll say it again: The Chicago Bears are (almost) in a no-lose situation at quarterback right now. If Justin Fields is lights out for the rest of the season, he'll be the guy. The Bears will draft Marvin Harrison Jr. and enjoy the fireworks that will ensue in 2024.
And if Fields fails? Well, there's that Caleb Williams guy. Or North Carolina's Drake Maye. Both quarterback prospects might enter the NFL with higher grades than Fields had, and both are expected to be drafted within the first three picks in Round 1.
It's not fun to constantly be on this quarterback roller coaster, but the Bears have hit this crossroads at the best possible time. They'll either replace Fields with a stud (if he fails), or add the best wide receiver prospect in the last 8-10 years if he succeeds.
In the words of Michael Scott, it's a win, win ... win.