There are not many positives to take away from this season, let alone the fact that the Chicago Bears play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 for what will be a meaningless game for many. Of course, some are putting tape out there for new teams and new contracts, and young players are getting much-needed experience.
The Chicago Bears have plenty of young players on the roster, and this would have been a great time for Justin Fields to get some live game work against an NFL defense. After missing the past couple of games due to injury Matt Nagy announced that Fields would be healthy enough to give it a go for the season finale.
Then, the COVID bug struck. Justin Fields tested positive for COVID-19, which will almost certainly deem him out.
#Bears roster move:
— Bears Communications (@BearsPR) January 6, 2022
We have placed QB Justin Fields on Reserve/COVID-19.
The new rules for COVID in the NFL no longer require close contacts to miss any time, so we know for sure that he tested positive. With that in mind, if you test positive you have to sit out five days, or until you test negative again.
With Fields being placed on the list Thursday, he should not be able to play on Sunday, unless the result of the test came on Wednesday. Either way, you are now missing practice for a rookie who has not been practicing much the past few weeks anyway.
When you put it all together we can all be for certain that Justin Fields season is over. It was not quite the season that many fans had hoped, but it was not an absolute disaster either.
He had low points against the Browns, but a high point against the Steelers and his best play was certainly his last.
The Chicago Bears plan to start Andy Dalton for their last game with Nick Foles as the backup quarterback.