Justin Fields entered the 2021 NFL Draft hoping to be taken with the No. 3 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers. That did not end up happening, as the 49ers ended up taking Trey Lance with that selection. Unfortunately, he also didn't end up going in the top 10 of the draft, sliding all the way down to the No. 11 overall pick after the Chicago Bears traded up to get him.
While being taken at No. 11 overall was not what he was envisioning, the situation could not be any better for the Ohio State star. He will be heading to a Bears team where he can compete to start immediately with veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. Fields will also be joining a team that has some very solid weapons for him to utilize in Allen Robinson, Cole Kmet, and Darnell Mooney.
Obviously, the Bears would like to continue putting in work to improve their offense. Over the last few years, it has become obvious that their offense is not nearly good enough. Bringing in Fields is a big step in the right direction by Ryan Pace and company.
Perhaps the happiest person about this pick is Bears head coach Matt Nagy. His offensive system needs a quarterback with leadership skills, a big arm, and some athleticism. Mitchell Trubisky did not possess any of those qualities, which ended in him leaving town to join the Buffalo Bills as a backup quarterback to Josh Allen.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at three early predictions for Justin Fields in his rookie season with the Bears.
3. Justin Fields Will Be Week 1 Starter For Bears Over Andy Dalton
Earlier this offseason when the Bears made the move to sign Dalton, they made a bold statement that he would be their starter. With the move to select Justin Fields, that will change. Dalton will be the veteran backup tasked with helping Fields learn as a rookie.
It will be interesting to see how this sits with Dalton and whether or not he will be a team player. He has legitimate reason to be upset about this pick if Fields does take over as the starter immediately. Signing with the promise to start and then that not happening would be a rough look for the Bears' front office.
Either way, we will find out what Dalton ends up doing. Fields is going to start the season as the starting quarterback for the Bears. The future is looking much brighter after this pick than it did before.
2. Fields Puts Up A Monster Rookie Season
Just like he did throughout his college career with the Buckeyes, Fields is going to put up big numbers in his rookie year with the Bears. He isn't going to be an MVP candidate, but he will compete for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
We are predicting that Fields will end up throwing for at least 3,500 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. He will also limit his interception total to under 12. Those numbers will make this selection look very good for the Bears.
As a rookie, Fields will show the kind of poise, production, and leadership of a veteran quarterback. It has been a long time since the Bears had a quarterback that they felt good about long-term. That has changed with this selection and excitement should not be tempered.
1. The Bears' Rookie QB Leads Them Back To The Playoffs
Could a quarterback get off to a better rookie season than the numbers we have predicted for Fields, earning a starting job in Week 1, and leading the Bears to the playoffs? Absolutely not, but that is exactly what Fields will do in 2021.
After missing the playoffs in 2020 and finishing the year with an 8-8 record, the Bears are going to get back to the postseason in 2021. Fields will put up a big season and the Bears still have one of the league's top defenses. They took a hit by having to release star cornerback Kyle Fuller, but their defense will still be solid.
No one should be viewing the Bears as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That simply isn't going to be the case for a few years. However, with Justin Fields now leading the way, the franchise has to be feeling like they are a playoff caliber team.