Written by: Cesar Fuentes
The league's worst record and lack of offensive talent dwarfed Justin Fields' best moment since his arrival in the NFL, but that looks like it could change by 2023 as Chicago made a great effort to surround their quarterback with better players to take a step forward in their career.
In 2022, the Bears had so much dead money that their only option was to have a receiving corps like Brron Pringle with 10 catches and $4.3 million, N'Keal Harry 1.9 million and just 9 catches, Darnell Mooney with his rookie contract was the most productive with 40 receptions.
Fields' production came mostly from his legs, with 1,143 yards and 8 touchdowns, with just 2,242 yards and 17 passing touchdowns.
In 2021 his rookie year connected on 58.9% of his passes, and through the first six weeks of 2022, his percentage was down 54.8%. But starting in week 7, Fields settled down and raised his average up to 63.6%, in addition to raising its rating from 73.7 to 92.3.
Neither Mooney nor Claypool barely reached the middle of the season, they have the quality to be a WR1, as is DJ Moore who shone in Carolina, despite not having a competent quarterback in his career.
Moore may be that breakout weapon for Fields, much like AJ Brown was with Hurts in 2022 or Stefon Diggs with Josh Allen in 2020, however, there is a risk Fields will regress and if that happens, the Bears will have the capital. enough to go for a quarterback in 2024.
Comments