The NFL Draft is slated for next month, where teams will look to add crucial pieces to their franchise’s future. The first overall pick belongs to the Chicago Bears, who have an important decision to make. While the team drafted former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Bears will have the option of taking former USC standout Caleb Williams.
In this edition of the the Point/Counterpoint, staff writer Sam Calhoun and campus correspondent Gavin Friedman debate whether the Bears should keep Fields or trade him and draft Williams with the top pick of the NFL Draft.
Sam: I think the Bears should keep Fields and build around him instead of drafting Williams and starting fresh. Fields was sacked 44 times, the fifth-most in the league. The Bears could look at the offensive line, as only half of the offensive linemen stood out with potential or performed well enough to receive a solid grade on Pro Football Focus. They could use a better receiver, as wide receiver D.J. Moore stood out with almost double the amount of receiving yards tight end Cole Kmet had, and had over 900 yards more than WR2 Darnell Mooney, who finished the season with 414 yards.
If the Bears were to trade down and away from the top quarterback prospects, they could get a lot for the first overall pick, considering the hype built with the quarterback draft class. Overall, I think the Bears need to keep Fields. He became the fourth quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to have at least 5000 passing yards and 1500 rushing yards in their first 30 starts.
Gavin: I think Fields has the potential to be a good starting quarterback in the NFL, but I think his time in Chicago needs to end before the NFL Draft. The Bears have the opportunity to select Williams with the first overall pick, and I do not think it is one they can pass up. Williams is widely considered an elite prospect with tons of potential in the NFL and had a phenomenal season in 2022 when he won the Heisman Trophy, along with another solid season in 2023.
On the other hand, Fields has shown potential in the NFL, but he has not been able to perform at a high level in his first three seasons. In 2023, he threw for a career-high 2,562 passing yards, which was only good enough for the 22nd most in the league. Granted, he only played in 13 games, but that is still not very impressive, even on a per-game basis. I believe Fields would be better off going to a new team with a more complete roster that will allow him to develop into a top-tier quarterback. There should be a few teams interested in Fields, including the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. The decision is one that Bears general manager Ryan Poles needs to get right, and I do not see how he can pass up the opportunity to draft an incredible talent in Williams with the first pick in the draft.
Sam: While Williams is considered an incredible talent, he also has some red flags as a prospect. According to Analytics of Dynasty on X (formerly known as Twitter), Williams has the longest time to throw, with 3.26 seconds on average. With a quarterback that gets sacked as much as Fields, Williams would need to get rid of the ball much faster, especially with the Bears’ subpar offensive line.
Williams opted against providing his medical information to every team during the NFL Draft Combine, which is unusual for a prospect as highly rated as he is. If Fields does get traded, the question is: What would the Bears get in exchange for the former Ohio State Buckeye? I agree his passing stats are not a sight to see, but considering the options Fields has with the current roster, it is not out of the question that the Bears could look elsewhere.
Gavin: Williams may have some red flags that could cause some people to be concerned about him, but it is common for there to be some minor concerns about top prospects as they enter the NFL draft. While he may take a long time to get the football out of his hands, there is a lot to love about what Williams brings to the table, including his arm strength, accuracy, decision-making and mobility.
Another issue that Chicago would face if they kept Fields is that he is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Bears will need to decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option or extend his contract. Both of these options would require a massive financial investment from Chicago. In addition to acquiring an incredible talent in Williams, it will give the Bears more time before signing a quarterback to a long-term contract. Williams will be cheaper for the team, allowing them to spend more money on other positions, which will help with the development Williams needs in the NFL. With so many other holes in Chicago’s roster that need to be filled, this extra money will be essential for Poles when constructing a roster that will help Williams succeed.
In a poll conducted by ESPN, a large majority of NFL representatives who participated in the poll agreed that Chicago would draft Williams on April 25, and for good reason. The combination of Williams’s talent, potential and affordability makes this the most logical choice for the Bears.