As each day passes, it is becoming more and more likely that the Chicago Bears decide to trade quarterback Justin Fields.
At this stage in the game, that seems to be the overwhelming belief by many of the league's insiders and sources.
In turn, the Bears would use their no. 1 pick on selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, resetting the clock and moving into a new era, yet again.
Really the only questions that remain, now, are when the Bears will trade Fields and what they will receive in exchange for his services. One particular NFL insider went on record, Tuesday, saying that he thinks the Bears could trade Fields to the Atlanta Falcons.
But, in the same breath, he also added that the Bears should wind up getting quite the return for the quarterback.
.@Schultz_Report says "there's absolutely a building buzz" about the Atlanta Falcons being in play to trade for Justin Fields. @CBSSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/WquZ3v8Xjd
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 20, 2024
"It's my understanding that Fields, at this point, probably commands a late first-round pick. So you can get real value for him," Schultz said.
Could the Bears realistically get a first-round pick for Justin Fields?
The issue with Schultz's report, here, is the fact that every team with a late first-round pick already has the quarterback situation under control. Assuming the Bucs re-sign Baker Mayfield (Tampa holds the 26th pick) then the next team with a "late" first would be Pittsburgh at no. 20 overall.
By Schultz's logic, is no. 20 too steep a price for a team to pay? Could we see a team like Atlanta trade back to the late first, or even trade up from the second round, into the late first? This is all speculation of course, but the point is, there is a well-connected NFL insider who believes the Bears could get a first-round pick in exchange for Fields.
It seems like a long time ago now that we heard Chicago could only get a second or maybe a third rounder in exchange for Fields, and that from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
But, if the Bears somehow end up with a late first rounder added to the mix, that gives them a whopping three first-round picks, of course including the no. 1 overall selection.
It seems as though the Bears could make their decision as soon as next week when the NFL Combine kicks off, so we could be very, very close to some big news in Chicago.