The Chicago Bears have officially secured the number one pick in the 2024 NFL Draft thanks to the Carolina Panthers inadequacy, and they now have a massive decision to consider with one more game separating themselves from the offseason. Do they hold onto their talented, yet inconsistent, third-year quarterback Justin Fields, or do they use the first overall pick to select a new quarterback and move on from Fields?

There has been speculation swirling around Fields all season long, but his play late in the campaign has helped make this a very difficult decision for the Bears. If they were to trade Fields, it's worth knowing what his trade value would be, and it sounds like many executives believe that Chicago could get a second or third round pick in return for him if they wanted to trade him.

“The consensus in an informal poll of league evaluators is that Fields would be worth a second- or third-round pick in a pre-draft trade. When compared to former top-10 picks recently traded, that's better than Trey Lance, whom Dallas acquired from San Francisco for a fourth-round pick, but slightly worse than Sam Darnold, who, along with a sixth-round pick, went from the Jets to Carolina in exchange for second- and fourth-rounders.” – Jeremy Fowler & Courtney Cronin, ESPN

Does Justin Fields' trade value make it worthwhile for the Bears to move him?

Bears' Justin Fields looking serious

As noted in the comparison for other quarterbacks in similar situations that were traded, that seems like a somewhat middling return given what Fields has done on the field. Sure, he's struggled with inconsistency and injuries, but if a team can surround him with some weapons and a decent offensive line, it's tough to argue that he isn't good enough to pick up wins on a consistent basis

On the other hand, the Bears could opt to trade the first overall pick for the second year in a row, and reports have indicated their haul for that move could net an even greater return than what they got for the pick last year. One way or another, Chicago has a big decision to make, but the valuation of Fields could be something worth monitoring as the team makes its decision.