Bears quarterback Justin Fields throws a touchdown pass to DJ Moore against the Commanders on Oct. 5, 2023, at FedEx Field. In a high-profile trade that many around the NFL were awaiting, Bears general manager Ryan Poles dealt Fields on Saturday to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick. If he’s on the field for 51% of the offensive snaps next season, it becomes a fourth-round pick.
The deal positions the Bears to draft a potential franchise quarterback in April, with many around the league sensing Poles will Poles said in a statement that the Bears engaged in multiple trade conversations in recent weeks and believed trading Fields now “is what is best for both Justin and the Bears.” Poles said they informed Fields on Saturday of their rationale for the trade.
Can’t say thank you enough to the city of Chicago for taking me in and embracing me. Thank you to the entire Bears organization and ownership for allowing me the opportunity to be part of such a historic franchise. But most of all thank you to my all my brothers that I played…. In some regard, he became a victim of circumstance with the Bears having the No. 1 pick, which Poles acquired as part of last year’s trade of the 2023 No. 1 selection to the Carolina Panthers.
Fields’ passing struggles, however, were problematic during his entire run with the Bears. He averaged just 174 passing yards across 38 starts, had only one 300-yard passing game, and threw for multiple touchdowns only eight times.; Fields missed 11 starts due to injury or illness, including four in 2023 with a dislocated thumb. By comparison, the Bears won only 10 of Fields’ starts.