Bears risk pissing off star by ditching Justin Fields for QB in the draft

One of the most pressing questions of the NFL offseason is still unanswered. What do the Chicago Bears intend to do with the No. 1 NFL Draft pick? Depending on who you believe, the Bears could draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams to be the new face of the franchise, or they could trade down (possibly multiple times?) and commit to another year of Justin Fields while upgrading the supporting cast around him.

Chicago's top receiver, D.J. Moore, has his own thoughts on the matter, and for months now, he hasn't been afraid to share them. Moore recently appeared on NFL Total Access to once again show support for Fields, who he believes is the best option for the Bears.

Asked about the incoming rookie quarterbacks that the Bears could draft in April, Moore said, "I still don't think they compare to Justin right now." That echoes similar sentiments he expressed earlier this month on PFT Live, when he called Fields "a great leader," and said, "His growth has been phenomenal."

Even though he's only been in The Windy City for a season, Moore has quickly established himself as a veteran leader in the clubhouse. Part of that is due to his outstanding play, which saw him set personal bests with 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. The other part is his willingness to go to bat for his teammates, as he's demonstrated over and over when it comes to Fields.

Moore hasn't been alone in his support for Fields, either.

Following an emphatic 37-17 home win over the Falcons in Week 17 in which the third-year quarterback showed off his wide array of skills, many of his teammates, including Jaquan Brisker, Montez Sweat, and the since-departed Eddie Jackson, all joined the thousands of fans chanting their quarterbacks' name in making their feelings clear: we want Fields. Sweat provided my favorite postgame quote, simply saying, "I'm happy he's on my side."

Whether fairly or not, there have been whispers of concern about Caleb Williams' leadership abilities and maturity. Will the fact that Justin Fields has the locker room behind him ultimately tip the scales in his favor? Could Ryan Poles see D.J. Moore's enthusiastic support for the quarterback that helped him have his best ever season and envision a future in which one more playmaker (such as Marvin Harrison Jr. or Rome Odunze) could put the Bears offense over the top?

The Bears fanbase has been split on whether to draft Williams or roll with Fields, and with no clear indication from Poles or head coach Matt Eberflus on which way the team is leaning, both options are still very much in play.

Any way you cut it, the decision isn't an easy one. Fields has improved each year in the league, but isn't yet at the point that the Bears can say without a doubt that he can lead them to the promised land. He'll also be due for a much bigger payday soon, a fact that can't be ignored when weighed against the rookie contract that Williams would be playing on for four years.

It's unlikely that Poles risks truly alienating the locker room if he moves on from Fields, but the love and respect the quarterback's teammates have for him surely need to factor into the final decision. The Bears traded the No. 1 pick to the Panthers on March 10th last year. We could know by then which route the Bears are taking, or we may not get the answer until the draft on April 25th.