LAS VEGAS — Some of the Bears’ top offensive players have led the campaign to keep quarterback Justin Fields rather than draft his replacement with the No. 1 pick, and while they’re still making that push, they’ve begun to accept that it might not happen.
As the hype for consensus top prospect Caleb Williams from USC surges, they must prepare for that possibility, as well.
“I advocated for [Fields], and to see it come through would be amazing, but if it doesn’t, I’ll still be happy,” wide receiver DJ Moore, who was in town for Super Bowl week to promote Mountain Dew, told the Sun-Times on Thursday. “I don’t get paid to make that decision. I just go out there and make as many plays as I can for the quarterback that’s back there, as I’ve shown this year.
“But it’d be nice to see Justin stay.”
Fields progressed somewhat last season, his third, but still sat in the bottom half of the NFL in most passing categories. General manager Ryan Poles said last month that he’s “wide open” to drafting a new quarterback or sticking with Fields. If he opts for Fields, Poles almost certainly would trade down from the No. 1 pick for a second consecutive year.
Last time, Poles forfeited his chance at C.J. Stroud, who was an instant star for the Texans and got them to the second round of the playoffs. It will be difficult to take a risk like that again.
Fields has been electric as a runner and shown flashes of potential but hasn’t arrived as a passer.
He was 27th in completion percentage (61.4), 22nd in passing yards (2,562), 20th in touchdown passes (16) and 20th in passer rating (85.6) among the 29 quarterbacks who threw at least 300 passes this season.
Plenty has worked against him, starting with the missteps of Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy in his rookie season, and he hasn’t been given an ideal opportunity to thrive, but the Bears would be justified in moving on, regardless.
“The NFL is unfair — that’s just what it is,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “If they can find a better, cheaper option at any position, they’re gonna do that. That’s what they’ve gotta evaluate, if whoever they’re gonna take at No. 1 is better or not. That’s what this business is.”
Fields’ departure would hit Kmet hard. When Fields was a rookie in 2021 and the Bears planned on Andy Dalton being their starter, Kmet put in extra work with Fields as he envisioned their future together.
Same for Moore, who hoped for stability after playing with eight starting quarterbacks in five seasons with the Panthers. He had 96 receptions for a career-high 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023, and Kmet had his best season with 73 catches, 719 yards and six touchdowns.
“Me and [Moore] have built a really good rapport with Justin, especially this past year, and we were really effective with Justin throwing us the ball, so that’s where our preference lies,” Kmet said. “But they’re gonna make a decision, and that’s on them to do that. Whatever decision they go with, life continues to move on, and you just have to deal with it.”
Regarding Williams, Kmet didn’t know enough about him to give a strong opinion.
“I know that Notre Dame beat him,” he said with a big laugh, quick to think of his school’s rivalry with USC. “I’ve heard he can make all the throws and those types of things, but I haven’t really watched any tape. I’ve heard a lot of good things about him as a prospect.”
Those positives might stack up so high that the Bears can’t bypass Williams’ potential, no matter how much they like Fields.
