Justin Fields trade is already trending toward the Bears' benefit in training camp

A few months back, the Justin Fields era officially ended in the Windy City as the Chicago Bears dealt their former first-round quarterback to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick.

It was a foregone conclusion. The Bears were drafting Caleb Williams and building the team around the eventual no. 1 overall pick. So, Fields got himself a fresh start as the backup to another newcomer in Pittsburgh, Russell Wilson.

But, how long would he really be the backup?

As training camp has initially kicked off, it turns out, it might not be that long at all. Thursday, Wilson didn't practice after it was reported the veteran was dealing with a calf issue. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson was "day to day" with the injury.

So, it was Fields' day as the starter.

It didn't take long for Steelers fans to get a glimpse of what the former Bears starter was capable of, as Fields ripped off a nice, deep pass to Van Jefferson down the left sideline.

Former Bears quarterback and longtime NFL veteran, Chase Daniel, reposted the video with a caption, "I promise you by October Justin Fields will be leading the Steelers. Bookmark it."

Revisiting the compensation in the Justin Fields trade and what it means for the Bears

Sure, it is early on in camp. But, if Wilson's injury becomes more serious, who knows what it might mean for the Steelers' quarterback situation. The longer Wilson is out, the more opportunity Fields has to excel and impress the coaching staff. Not only that, but he has more time to foster chemistry with his teammates.

Remember, if Fields plays 51 percent of the snaps during the 2024 season, then the Bears would receive a fourth-round pick instead of a sixth rounder.

So, for the fans who were upset about the trade compensation at first, a fourth-round pick doesn't look so bad. After all, Fields was dealt for the same draft capital as his fellow 2021 first-round quarterback, Mac Jones, when the Jaguars acquired the former Patriots quarterback. Most would agree that Fields is better than Jones, so the initial reaction was that of disgust from many fans.

It's not that we would wish poor health upon Wilson, but here's to hoping Fields will ultimately win the starting gig and play the majoirty of snaps in Pittsburgh this year.