NFL Rumors 2024: Chicago Bears Expected to Decline 5th-Year Option for Justin Fields

The Bears are facing the same dilemma with Justin Fields that they faced a year ago. They were unsure whether they should sign his fifth-year option and bring Justin Fields back or not. In 2023, as the regular season comes to an end, they’re still looking for an answer. The Bears had also won the number 1 pick in the NFL Draft 2024 trade last year.

Would they choose to pass on the opportunity to infuse fresh blood into their team? Because doing both is an unviable option, financially. Or will they choose to let go of Fields and bet on a new QB? Their decision could change the future of the franchise.

Justin Fields expected to be let go during the offseason?

While it’s just speculation at this stage, @NFLNotify claimed that Fields might be in for bad news. In his last game of the season against the Packers, he recorded 216 yards and just one touchdown for one interception. On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers sacked him 4 times. Jordan Love, the Packers QB, was drafted just a year before him. And yet, he recorded 216 yards and two touchdowns.

His entire 2023 season has also been far from impressive. Just 16 TDs are what he can claim for himself. That too came at a cost of 9 interceptions. The worst part is that even if he could not play well, he couldn’t even push his teammates. And his teammates were superior to him since they had been around longer. Other than performance issues, there’s also the question of money to be considered.

What other factors could play out against him?

Fields’ fifth-year option and guarantee is not a small amount. It would set back the Bears by $25 million in 2025. This weighs against the fact that the total rookie contract value in the 2024 draft is $45 million. And please, note that it’s total rookie QBs vs. just one veteran QB. And in 2024, they will have the option to pick from North Carolina’s Drake Maye and USC’s Caleb Williams.

It’s highly unlikely that they will get this golden opportunity again. Cutting Fields off would also leave them more space in the salary cap. Which can be capitalized in the coming years as well. And the Bears’ defense has only recently started to bring their A-game. The freed-up salary cap could be leveraged to fortify their defense as well.

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It’s a now-or-never moment for the Bears. Fans are counting the days to the March deadline. Will the Bears ease their anxiety by giving them an answer soon?

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