NFL Rumors: Justin Fields trade timeline, Cowboys-Tyron Smith replacement, Raiders trade buzz

NFL Rumors: Justin Fields trade timeline

As signs continue to point towards the Chicago Bears selecting a quarterback (presumably USC’s Caleb Williams) with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, what does it mean for the future of current Bears signal-caller Justin Fields?

However, Williams has refused to take part in medical examinations at the NFL Scouting Combine, which has made it difficult for the Bears to operate. Like any organization or business entity, Chicago wants to know what they’re getting before making a franchise-altering decision with monumental ramifications. 

The situation has complicated matters for the Bears, especially with free agency approaching. If general manager Ryan Poles wants to maximize the trade value on Fields, they need to move on from him before veteran quarterbacks sign with teams and fill up starting spots on other teams.

Williams and the Bears will meet after USC’s Pro Day on Mar. 20, where he will undergo medical tests with the team, but time is of the essence, and it could be too late by then -- considering free agency starts on Mar. 13.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that while Poles “has positioned the Bears to trade Fields in the coming days, he’s also open to waiting a bit if it takes time for the quarterback market, Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield as headliners, to develop.”

Based on reading the tea leaves, Fields could find himself on a new team sooner than later as the Bears continue to ramp up their pursuit of Williams atop the draft.