At this point, it is firmly established: Chicago Bears fans are growing antsier by the day, dealing with a combination of giddiness, curiosity and impatience that is borderline unhealthy.
Just what does Justin Fields look like?!? Tell us everything!
What have we learned about the rookie quarterback in the two weeks since he became the Bears’ draft weekend surprise?
Has he shown traits that hint he can become a future league MVP? Or have there been warning signs that he just might be the latest tease in the Bears’ tortured quarterback history?
Most important, here on the weekend of rookie minicamp at Halas Hall, is Fields’ NFL development ahead of schedule?
Alas, the sign posted to the front window of this captivating show will leave much of Chicago unfulfilled.
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After two days of rookie-camp practices, it’s far too early to draw any grand conclusions about where Fields is and where he’s headed. Go figure.
This isn’t the kind of weekend set up for wow moments or major tests. It’s simply the first step in a tedious orientation process. And thus far, after what have essentially been two glorified walkthroughs on the grass at Halas Hall, Fields and his coaching staff remain eager to continue with the process.
That grind will require Fields to absorb more of the Bears playbook and see what he can retain. Then, with what he can retain, he’ll continue testing himself to learn how he can turn knowledge into production in a practice setting.
Exciting stuff, huh?
For those envisioning the Ultimate Fields Experience to eventually feel like a lavish vacation in the Caribbean, consider this stage the TSA security checkpoint at the airport. Procedural. Monotonous. Necessary.
Still, it’s easy to see up close why the giddiness of Bears fans is being shared by the coaches and higher-ups at 1920 Football Drive in Lake Forest. Even during pre-practice stretching, Fields’ presence stands out. At 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, he’s both sleek and sturdy. Even as he jogs to warm up, he seems to have a noticeable purpose about him, exuding a contagious energy that reminds teammates of the work that needs to get done.
“He’s 100 percent about business,” rookie offensive tackle Larry Borom said Saturday. “It’s not fun and games when we’re on the field. He wants to do the job at the highest level he can.”
Eventually, Fields’ playmaking prowess also will become part of the show. The football comes off his right hand with noticeable zip. And while there has been little opportunity this weekend for him to showcase his arm strength and accuracy on his deep ball, that’s one strength Bears coaches are looking forward to tapping into down the road.
Rookie receiver Dazz Newsome offered his early assessment of Fields’ deep ball. “It’s most definitely pretty,” Newsome said. “And right in stride too.”
Bears coach Matt Nagy was agitated through most of last season with how much of a struggle it was for the Bears offense to shine in key situations. The Bears finished 31st in third-down efficiency at 34.6%. They only turned 56.4% of their red-zone trips into touchdowns, 22nd in the league.
Adding to the frustration, when David Montgomery busted off an 80-yard touchdown run on the first series of the Texans game in Week 14, it snapped a drought of more than two years since the Bears had scored an offensive touchdown of 50 yards or more.
No wonder the Bears again finished in the bottom third of the league in both points scored (23.3 ppg) and total yards (331.4 ypg).
But Fields’ deep-ball success should help change that. Eventually. And you can count Nagy among the most enthusiastic about that potential. A day after raving about Fields’ speed and the danger he presents as a runner, Nagy was suddenly daydreaming about deep touchdown shots from his quarterback of the future.
Listen to this pie-in-the-sky concept Nagy threw out after practice Saturday. What if the Bears remedied some of their red-zone and third-down difficulties by, well, scoring from farther away and/or putting together quick-strike scoring marches?
“When you have those deep-type plays and those quick strikes, you eliminate third downs and you eliminate that red-zone (pressure),” Nagy said. “And it’s six points. That obviously helps out.”
Translation: If Fields and the offense find ways to more routinely turn 12-play field-goal drives into four-play touchdown explosions, a significant step forward can be made.
Nagy also has been impressed by what he’s learning about Fields’ post-snap vision. On top of that, there’s been a determined edge to everything Fields has done.
“His competitive nature and his competitive spirit (is there),” Nagy said. “You can tell that’s the way that it is and it’s always been that way. That’s something that we’ll all get used to.”
Down the road, long after Fields has left rookie camp behind, he’ll face greater tests and jump on a bigger stage and be forced to prove that his potential can propel the Bears back into championship contention on a regular basis. For now? With one more rookie camp practice Sunday, Fields will stay immersed in the demands of the present.
That means trying to handle a larger volume of offensive concepts. It means working to visualize plays before they unfold. It means offering command with play calling in the huddle and assessing everything on the field around him before the snap. It means simply trying to make good decisions and sharp throws and then pushing to correct the inevitable mistakes that occur.
At the outset, Fields seems poised and comfortable and invested in the grind.
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