The Chicago Bears finally let Matt Nagy go, but some of their problems will take time to fix. Matt Eberflus wants to put Justin Fields in a position to succeed, yet the front office failed to make enough moves to make us think that’ll happen soon.
Fields will be in the spotlight from day one. He’s drawn mixed reviews since his days at Ohio State. And while the talent and physical tools seem to be there, it’s not like Nagy did him any favors in his rookie season.
That’s why this offseason will be so key for the Bears and their future. And that’s also why some fans were quite concerned to hear that Fields believes that they’re nowhere near ready to play just yet.
NFL News: Justin Fields Admits The Bears Aren’t Ready To Play Just Yet
“Uh, no,” Fields told Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I’m not ready for the season to start. I’m the type of guy that would like to know I’m prepared. So, right now, I’m just being honest. We’re not ready to play a game right now. And when that time comes, we will be ready. So, right now, no — not ready to play a game.”
Fields’ Work Ethic Impresses Rookie Teammate
Obviously, there’s still plenty of time left to get ready for the season, so maybe it’s early to sound off the alarms. Also, Fields has been putting in the work for months now, with rookie Velus Jones recently lauding his relentless work ethic:
“I will say before I met Justin, Hendon Hooker had the craziest work ethic of always being in the film room,” Jones said on the Podsters Of The Midway.“Always throwing the ball, working on their craft, and perfecting their craft. Then when I got here, Justin’s in the building, like, every day. Grinding. If it’s throwing routes to me, throwing routes to whoever. And that motivates me a lot. Just to see how bad he wants it. To be able to prove it to himself the type of quarterback he can be.”
“I’m so excited for him this upcoming season. I’m so blessed to be here. That I can make some of the things happen for him. He’s a great leader. Really confident in himself. Great guy. Great teammate, even when talking to me. His experience and stuff help me and guideme as well. He’s my locker buddy, so we talk a lot, building chemistry,” Jones added.
It’s been a while since the Bears were actually competitive, so it’s only natural for people to be skeptical about their new project. But Fields has shown glimpses of greatness, so he’s definitely worth the shot.
