As the regular season is nearly underway, we take a look at how each of the rookie quarterbacks taken in the first round look in their new homes. We then compare how each did versus how Justin Fields performed for the Chicago Bears.
The 2021 draft was headlined by one of the best quarterback classes in recent memory. A quarterback was selected with each of the first three picks and five went in the top 15. Now, these five quarterbacks will forever be linked together for the rest of their careers for better or worse. To this day, people still debate who should’ve been taken first in the 2004 draft between Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger. We cannot forget how Mitch Trubisky is negatively linked to Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes too.
Chicago Bears Rookie Draft Comparison: Justin Fields controversial fall
After being seen as the clear number two prospect behind Trevor Lawrence entering the season, Justin Fields saw his draft stock fall outside of the top ten and became the fourth quarterback off the board. Scouts cited his inconsistency in 2020 and tendency to hold onto the ball for too long as reasons for the slide, while others were baffled that a quarterback so talented could slide so far.
Many fans questioned if players from smaller conferences like Zach Wilson or Trey Lance should’ve been taken over a player who torched the Big Ten for the last two seasons. Although it is far too soon to know the answer, that doesn’t mean the comparisons haven’t already started.
Does the preseason really matter?
Preseason football is the first NFL action these rookie quarterbacks will see, but how much do these games really mean for a player’s career? Many of the rookies aren’t even taking snaps with the starters, and they take limited reps. In the grand scheme of things, preseason performance isn’t always the best indicator of career success, but it is still interesting to see how these young quarterbacks are transitioning to the professional level.
Chicago Bears Rookie Preseason Comparison: Trevor Lawrence
Despite drafting a quarterback with the top pick, Jacksonville head coach Urban Meyer was adamant throughout training camp that it would be an open competition between Trevor Lawrence and Gardner Minshew. Although no one seemed to really doubt that Lawrence would eventually be named the day one starter, it did make things a bit more interesting.
Lawrence wasn’t very impressive in his first two games, but he was able to put together one of the best performances of the entire season against the Dallas Cowboys, completing 11 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Lawrence finished the preseason with 31 completions on 44 attempts for 323 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Given the hype surrounding Lawerence entering college, he is going to be under the spotlight right away in Jacksonville. There will be a lot on his plate, as he’s taking the reigns of a team that went 1-15 last year, and the likely season-ending injury to running back Travis Etienne won’t make things any easier for him. The Jaguars are going to ask a lot of their young quarterback early on, but high expectations are nothing new to Lawrence.
Chicago Bears Rookie Preseason Comparison: Zach Wilson
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson’s preseason play was good enough to silence the doubters for now. After struggling in the early stages of training camp, many fans were worried about how the second overall pick would fair in the preseason. Wilson was able to shut down most of those concerns, having one the best preseasons of the rookie quarterbacks.
In his two games of preseason action, Wilson completed 15-20 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He made very few mistakes and was able to make plays from a clean pocket as well as under pressure. Wilson’s play earned praise from many, including Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Unlike the other rookies, Wilson didn’t have another viable quarterback option on his team, so there was a lot more pressure on him to look the part in the preseason. Playing college football at BYU, Wilson lacks the experience against high-level competition that some of the other rookies like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones have.
It will be interesting to see if he looks as comfortable playing in the regular season. 20 passes is a fairly limited sample size to go off of, but Wilson’s play this preseason was pretty encouraging.
Chicago Bears Rookie Preseason Comparison: Trey Lance
San Francisco 49ers Trey Lance had his moments, but it’s Jimmy Garappolo’s offense for the time being . Trey Lance was one of the most fascinating prospects in the entire 2021 draft class. Many scouts were enamored by Lance’s Incredible physical tools, but lower-level competition and limited game film made him a challenging player to evaluate.
Lance had his fair share of ups and downs in the preseason, finishing with 19 completions of 41 attempts for 276 yards, three passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and an interception.
The one thing that seemed to hold Lance back was his ball placement. Even some of his dropped passes could’ve been prevented from better throws. Lance’s talent has always been evident, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.
Lance’s bright spots in the preseason gave the 49ers an idea of the quarterback he can be, and it’s up to both him and the organization to build off those for the future. Lance has enough arm talent that he can get away with sloppy throwing mechanics more than others, but cleaning up his throwing motion will be a major key for improving his accuracy.
Jimmy Garappolo will likely be San Francisco’s day one starter, and as of right now, there doesn’t seem to be a real timetable for when Lance will see the field, but one has to wonder if he will have his own package of plays each week.
Chicago Bears Rookie Preseason Comparison: Mac Jones
Mac Jones looks to be the right fit in New England. Jones was another rookie quarterback who had a lot to gain from a strong preseason. Given Cam Newton’s struggles over the last two seasons, the door was wide open and Jones took full advantage of it.
He completed 36 of 49 passes for 389 yards and a touchdown. The most impressive part of Jones’ preseason is something that doesn’t come up on the stat sheet. Jones looked very comfortable operating in New England’s system and has seemed to adjust quickly to their scheme.
Overall, Jones seems to be a much better fit for the New England offense than Newton. He may not have the strongest arm or be the best athlete, but he showed at Alabama that he can get the ball to his playmakers.
Bellichick is one of the best in football when it comes to getting the best out of his players, and he may have the right system to maximize his young quarterback’s potential. Jones is consistent, accurate, and disciplined, and New England’s offense prioritizes that over physical traits. There are still some questions pertaining to Jones’s ceiling, but New England should be very happy with how he’s looked so far.
Chicago Bears quarterback, Justin Fields showed that he will be ready to start sooner rather than later. Chicago fans were hopeful that Justin Fields could win the starting job over Andy Dalton with a good preseason. Although that didn’t exactly happen, Fields still did enough to show the Bears he will be ready when they call his number.
Fields completed 30 of 49 passes for 276 yards and three total touchdowns, with no turnovers. He also showcased his dual-threat ability, leading the team in rushing yards for the preseason with 92. Fields routinely showed good ball placement and made several nice plays from outside of the pocket.
One of the biggest factors in deciding when Fields will start is how the offensive line looks early on in the season. The Bears are still figuring out who they will start at offensive tackle to replace the injured Teven Jenkins. The Bears will want to limit the shots their young quarterback takes, and they will likely wait until they have found the best possible line combination before they put him in.
Dalton could be a serviceable starter, but with how Fields looked, it would be surprising if he kept the job for more than three or four games.