Justin Fields just made his first big headlines with the Bears

Justin Fields is well on his way towards becoming a star in Chicago. His switch of allegiance from Buckeyes to Bears has fans bursting with excitement. 

Every move that Justin Fields makes between now and the start of the regular season is going to be heavily scrutinized by everyone associated with the Chicago Bears. The rookie quarterback can take some comfort in the fact that his most recent move can be met with universal praise by all Chicago fans.

The first round draft pick officially signed his rookie deal with the Bears on Friday. The team announced the transaction via Twitter with the simple caption claiming that “the buckeye is officially a bear.” Fields, of course, starred collegiately at Ohio State before turning pro and becoming Chicago’s quarterback of the future.

Building Fields up to be a future star is a clear priority for the team’s public relations staff. It also seems to be a strategy the team’s coaching staff is comfortable with. Head coach Matt Nagy hasn’t hesitated to speak highly of his new signal-caller. In particular, he admires the young quarterback’s killer mentality as a player.

But is Justin Fields the starter for the Bears?

None of that means that Fields will take the field as Chicago’s starter when Week 1 arrives. The presence of Andy Dalton and Nick Foles on the current roster gives Nagy and his staff the option to take things slow with the presumed franchise savior.

The alternative theory is that Nagy needs to hand the offense over to Fields quickly if he wants to save his job. Conventional NFL wisdom believes Nagy needs to secure a playoff berth to earn a new contract in Chicago. Installing Fields as the starter may be the best way to raise the team’s ceiling to the point where a postseason berth is possible.

Even if Fields doesn’t take the field with the starters when the regular season begins, it’s still just a matter of time before he becomes Chicago’s starter. Bears fans are tired of suffering from mediocre quarterback play. Fields is the only player on the roster who gives them a chance of achieving something special in 2021.