The biggest question that every Chicago Bears fan wants to be answered right now is “Who will start at quarterback Week 1?”. I don’t know and I don’t think anyone, including Matt Nagy, knows at this point. However, there are several compelling reasons why Justin Fields should sit the entire season.
The Chicago Bears have five reasons not to start Justin Fields this season
Reason No. 1: Aaron Rodgers has returned to Green Bay for another season.
As much as I hate saying it, with Aaron Rodgers returning to Green Bay this season, winning the division is probably not on the realistic goal sheet for our beloved Chicago Bears this year. Chicago has not made enough improvements on offense to compete with the hated Green and Gold this year. Next year? The Bears have every reason to believe they can win the NFC North in 2022.
Reason No. 2: The Chicago Bears schedule is brutal this year
Chicago opens the season against the Rams in Los Angeles and also has to face the Raiders, Buccaneers, Browns and Steelers on the road. They also have tough home games against the 49ers and Packers, all before a Week 10 bye. This schedule could easily result in a 2-8 record no matter who is under center. There is no reason to put a rookie QB, no matter how good, through that much fire in a rebuilding year.
Reason No. 3: Matt Nagy
I understand that Justin Fields is not Mitch Trubisky and it’s quite possible that Trubisky just doesn’t have NFL starter talent. That being said, it’s undeniable that Nagy did not utilize Trubisky correctly and was detrimental to his development. I truly believe that Justin Fields is much better than Trubisky and I would rather the Chicago Bears let him develop for a year than have Nagy ruin him immediately.
Reason No. 4: The Chicago Bears’ history with quarterbacks.
In the past 25 years, Chicago has drafted three quarterbacks in the first round (prior to Justin Fields) and hasn’t won a Super Bowl. All three quarterbacks started their first year. I understand that this is not the only factor, but maybe it’s time to try a new approach.
Looking at the success of Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs’ organization is proof that this approach can work. Mahomes appeared in one game his rookie year and has been a perennial Pro Bowler every season since. The Bears have nothing to lose by trying to mimic that success.
Reason No. 5: Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton is not a bad quarterback. There is almost zero downside to having Justin Fields learn from Dalton’s experience in reading defenses, anticipating routes and the thousand other little things that help make a quarterback great.
The Chicago Bears are paying Dalton $10 million dollars this season, let’s make him earn it. Also, starting Fields over Dalton this year likely does not result in the Bears winning the division and if the Bears aren’t winning the division, why rush your rookie QB?
Justin Fields has the potential to be the franchise quarterback and be a key part of Chicago’s dominance in the NFC North for the next decade, I hope that Matt Nagy and the rest of the Bears’ coaching staff have the patience to develop him with long term success in mind.