Prior to the NFL free agency frenzy kicking off on Monday, we saw a somewhat notable trade go down on Sunday. No, it wasn't Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
But, it was a fellow 2021 first-round quarterback that got his walking papers en route to a new team. The New England Patriots officially confirmed their offseason plans by trading Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The trade saw New England only net a sixth-round pick in return for Jones. So, what does that deal mean for the Bears' eventual plans to try and trade Fields?
NBC Sports' Mike Florio seems to think that it could be a while before we see any news on a Fields trade, primarily because the market has cooled off and there are other quarterbacks available in free agency which teams wouldn't have to give up draft capital to acquire.
"The problem is that, in this nutty year of free agency, there are too many quarterbacks available for no trade compensation. The game of musical chairs needs to play out a bit before someone will pull the trigger on a deal for Fields," Florio wrote.
Does the Mac Jones trade signal a similar value for a potential Justin Fields trade?
First of all, I tend to disagree with those who say Fields won't be traded soon. However, that's just my opinion. There are teams out there with starting vacancies like the Atlanta Falcons (for now), Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos and even potentially the Minnesota Vikings. None of these teams are in position to draft one of the top three quarterbacks this year, and would settle for a lower tier passer with their first-round pick.
As for a Fields trade and what the Bears will get in return? No, the Jones trade doesn't mean the Bears are going to get a similar value. There is no world where Fields and Jones net the same type of trade return. We know Jones is no longer going to be a starter in this league.
Fields, meanwhile, still has a ton to offer as a starting quarterback. Look, the best take I've heard on this topic came from NFL Network's Adam Rank a couple of months back. If the Bears didn't have the no. 1 overall pick, they would be moving forward, building around Fields. That wouldn't even be a question.
We know Fields is talented and has a ton of untapped potential within him. He is going to get dealt for far more than just a sixth-round pick. So, we can put that idea to bed.