Justin Fields trade: Keenan Allen, DJ Moore give Bears' next QB a fighting chance

When former Bears quarterback Justin Fields made his first NFL start in 2021 — an ill-fated game against the Browns in Cleveland in Week 3 of his rookie season — his wide receivers were Allen Robinson, Darnell Mooney, Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd.

His tight ends were Cole Kmet in his second NFL season, Jimmy Graham — past his prime in his 12th season at 34 — and Jesse James.

His offensive line was anchored by 39-year-old left tackle Jason Peters — who still had it in his 17th season — but also journeyman Germain Ifedi at right tackle.

And his play-caller was head coach Matt Nagy, who was in a futile struggle to escape play-calling quicksand at the time. Nagy had ditched play-calling duties in Week 10 in 2020, reclaimed them to start the 2021 season, but ditched them again after Fields was sacked nine times and the Bears had one net passing yard in a dispiriting 26-6 loss at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Three years later, Caleb Williams would have a much stronger wind at his back if the Bears take the heralded USC quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 25.

The Bears’ acquisition of six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen in a trade with the Chargers last week signaled an aggressiveness by general manager Ryan Poles to give a rookie quarterback a supporting cast that previous first-round draft picks Mitch Trubisky and Fields did not have.

Sure enough, the Bears traded Fields to the Steelers two days later, with the presumption (but not yet certainty) that they would take Williams with the first overall pick. After rumors and reports that Williams might not want to play for the Bears, preferring to play for his hometown Commanders with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury — an offensive assistant at USC last season — the Bears now might actually be a pretty good landing spot for a quarterback taken No. 1 overall.

Williams dispelled those rumors at the combine and, in fact, acknowledged that the Bears — for all their historic and chronic issues developing quarterbacks — had plenty to offer.

“That’s pretty good for a team that has the first pick,” Williams said. “And they’ve got a good defense. They’ve got good players on offense, and it’s pretty exciting if you can go into a situation like that.”

And that was before they traded for Allen. Now the Bears’ situation — on paper, anyway — might look a little more enticing. In Moore and Allen, the Bears have arguably the best pair of wide receivers any quarterback taken No. 1 overall has ever had.

Moore is coming off a peak season at 26 — career highs of 96 receptions, 1,364 yards (14.2 per catch), 80.2 yards per game and eight touchdowns. Allen, 32, had a career-high 102 receptions for 1,243 yards (11.5 per catch) and seven touchdowns in 13 games. His 95.6 yards per game ranked fifth in the NFL.

Most quarterbacks taken No. 1 overall don’t have that luxury. In 2015, the Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston had veteran Vincent Jackson and future standout Mike Evans coming off an impressive rookie season (68 receptions, 1,058 yards, 70.1 yards per game, 12 touchdowns).

In 2004, the Giants’ Eli Manning (taken first overall by the Chargers, then traded) had established veterans in Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard. But those duos can’t match Moore and Allen, who have combined for 10 seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards.

While any productive receiver could be described as “quarterback friendly,” Moore and Allen have particular route-running skills that would help a young quarterback. Allen especially is an expert route runner with a knack for getting open. Moore also has veteran savvy to find open spaces, with his own knack for making go-up-and-get-it catches in traffic — with the bonus of yards after the catch.

The Bears’ running game also projects as a boon for Williams. The Bears were second in the NFL in rushing last season (141.1-yards average). And while Fields was a big part of that with 657 yards, if you exclude quarterback rushing yards, the Bears were still 10th in the NFL in rushing. And they’ve added free-agent running back D’Andre Swift, who made the Pro Bowl last season with 1,049 rushing yards (4.6 average) and five touchdowns.

Besides the offensive support, the Bears’ defense should provide Williams with a facet most quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall don’t have.

Of the 18 quarterbacks taken No. 1 overall, all but three joined a team that ranked in the bottom 10 in the NFL in scoring defense. The Bears were 20th in points allowed last season, but they were fifth over the last 13 games of the season. And the defense figures to improve — if healthy — with defensive end Montez Sweat starting in Week 1 instead of Week 9 and most players in their second or third season in coach Matt Eberflus’ system.

Williams figures to appreciate that. In his eight losses at USC over the last two seasons, the Trojans’ defense allowed an average of 40.1 points (34 or more in each game). The Bears’ defense figures to give him a little more margin for error.