So often you hear that the success of a quarterback is less about the talent of the player and more about the situation and surrounding talent around him. While everyone assumes Patrick Mahomes would have been good no matter what, his ceiling rose when he went to a team coached by Andy Reid with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in place.
On the other end, Mitch Trubisky was drafted without a true plan, as he quickly got in over Mike Glennon. He had no WRs, and his coaching staff would soon be flipped over. This is not to absolve Trubisky but to say this clearly was not the best landing spot for a rookie quarterback.
So with the Chicgao Bears drafting Justin Fields, the question is what changed? What gives Fields a chance?
Justin Fields has a strong coaching staff
Some may think Matt Nagy is on the hot seat, but with a rookie QB, he would have to mess up pretty bad to lose his job. In fact, one of the keys to Fields success is the idea that Nagy will be coaching him the entire time. In the Trubisky fiasco, Nagy was with Mahomes and the Chiefs at the time. Now he gets to develop a hand-picked QB.
He saw how Mahomes was developed and what the plan was for him, and now can execute it. This is a coach who got to the playoffs twice with Mitch Trubisky, he should be a good presence for Justin Fields.
Beyond Nagy is Bill Lazor, who has developed a plethora of young QBs over his career. Lazor had success with Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and Jason Campbell in their first two seasons. The best aspect of Lazor is that he is on the same page as Nagy, and it will be a team effort to get the most out of Fields.
Lastly is John DeFilippo. Flip coached Carson Wentz and Gardner Minshew as a rookie. Both had serious success adapting to the NFL with Flip in the room. Not often does a QB get to join a room with 3 coaches who have developed young QBs, and have the same goal in mind.
Justin Fields QB room
Beyond that is the presence of Nick Foles and Andy Dalton. We may not love them as MVP candidates on the field, but the two are professionals who have been praised for their leadership. The duo knows their roles and knows that they are here to help Justin Fields.
Dalton has connections to Lazor, and Foles has worked with all three many times before. These two are great for helping Fields learn the ins and outs of the playbook. You also have 2 Qbs with a track record of playoff experience. These two can turn Justin Fields into a veteran by the way that he goes about his business and watches the others lead the way.
When a quarterback gets drafted, he needs the right environment. Beyond three coaches with experience, not many QBs get two veterans with the track record of Foles and Dalton to help lead the way.
It is fair to say that Fields landed in a better spot than Trubisky and that Fields is fortunate to land in a spot with such a strong support system.