NFL Draft: 5 biggest winners from Round 1

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy needed to do something at the quarterback position and came away with one of the top passers after aggressively trading up in a move with the NY Giants.

Did the Bears overpay for Justin Fields?

Maybe.

But, with so much uncertainty surrounding what kind of player Andy Dalton is at this stage of his career, the ongoing disappointing play from Bears quarterbacks in recent years, an argument can be made that coming away with Fields was an absolute necessity for Pace, Nagy, and the Bears.

“I think Justin Fields might have the most upside of any quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft class,” the 2000 NFL Executive of The Year, Randy Mueller said during a recent appearance on FanSided’s The Matt Lombardo Show podcast.

Fields arrives in the Windy City with much promise, plenty of arm strength, and the athleticism to make plays on the run when all else fails amid the swarming pressure of NFC North front-sevens. Last season at Columbus, Fields completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading the Buckeyes to a berth in the National Championship Game against the Buckeyes.

Landing in an offense that features Allen Robinson and a stout offensive line, Fields has the chance to instantly raise the expectations for the Bears, who just might have found their long-term solution at the most important position in sports.