Justin Fields could help give the Bears two wins in Week 1

For months now, Chicago Bears fans have still been keeping their eye on quarterback Justin Fields, despite having been dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the year.

In fact, it's because of that trade that Bears fans are continuing to keep tabs on Fields. When Chicago traded the former first-round pick to Pittsburgh, they received a conditional sixth-round draft pick in exchange.

That pick could go from a sixth-round selection to a fourth-round pick if one condition is met: Fields plays a minimum of 51 percent of the snaps in 2024.

Now, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin ended up naming veteran Russell Wilson the team's starting quarterback in preparation for the regular season, meaning Fields would be relegated to backup duties. However, there has long been speculation that Tomlin is doing this strategically.

If Tomlin goes from Wilson to Fields, it makes more sense than the alternative. Going from the aging veteran to a younger player still offering some potential is easier to swallow than going vice versa, especially for a tenured coach like Tomlin.

As of Thursday morning, nothing had changed. Wilson was still the starter. However, that was until NFL Network's Ian Rapoport broke this news.

Russell Wilson is dealing with calf tightness. Interesting ... you don't say? Isn't that the same issue which kept him out of several practices over the course of training camp? It certainly is.

Like a lot of different scenarios around the league, right now, this situation is fluid. We'll be sure to keep up on Wilson's status because, if he is pronounced out for Week 1, then it's Fields time.

And there could be no looking back from there.

The Justin Fields trade is only one reason why Ryan Poles has even more draft capital in 2025

General manager Ryan Poles has done his fair share of wheeling and dealing over his time in Chicago, but there's been no bigger trade than the one which brought the Bears D.J. Moore, Caleb Williams, Tyrique Stevenson, Darnell Wright and an additional pick in the second round next year.

The Bears will have their own first-round and second-round picks, plus Carolina's second rounder in 2025, giving them three in the first two rounds. But, if Fields ends up playing 51 percent of the snaps in 2024, they get a fourth-round pick back which was given up to land Austin Booker in the fifth round of this year's draft.

Bears draft picks in 2025

1st Round
2nd Round
2nd Round (CAR)
3rd Round
5th Round
6th Round
6th Round (PIT, could turn into 4th)
6th Round (MIA, Chase Claypool trade)