3 obvious next-team-fits for Chicago Bears who won’t be back

1. Justin Fields dons black and gold

If there’s anything that can be taken away from how the Pittsburgh Steelers operated in 2023 and the comments made by members of the organization, the franchise is unhappy with the production (or lack thereof) they’ve gotten from the quarterback position.

The team selected Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft to be the successor to Ben Roethlisberger, and while his starting has translated to a positive win-loss record, the eye test and stats suggest that he’s been underperforming.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that Pickett will return in 2024 but with competition for the starting job. Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II has not shut the door on making a blockbuster trade for Bears quarterback Justin Fields despite pouring cold water on the idea shortly after making his initial remarks.

Moreover, it has since been reported that Tomlin is a “big fan” of Fields, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Where there’s smoke, there is fire. 

Considering the buzz surrounding a potential Fields-Pittsburgh collaboration Tomlin’s publicly expressed desire to upgrade the quarterback position and his support for the soon-to-be 25-year-old signal-caller, this feels like an obvious potential landing spot for the former No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

A backfield duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren accompanied by a group of pass-catchers led by Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Pat Freiermuth would give Fields arguably the best support cast of his career and an opportunity to restore his value as he looks to secure a long-term contract.