NFL rumors: Kenny Pickett trade proves how up creek Bears are trading Justin Fields

Friday brought with it a real shock to the system: Kenny Pickett was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Philadelphia Eagles. An interstate trade that ends the hopes of seeing Pickett duke it out with new quarterback Russell Wilson in the Steel City for the starting job.

Reportedly, the Steelers looked to move off Pickett because of his reaction to Wilson's arrival in Pittsburgh, as well as Pickett's refusal to dress as the third emergency quarterback for the team's Week 17 game. There's likely some nuance missing from that particular report, but it paints Pickett as emotional, and a pessimistic view of it is that it reads like a bit of a tantrum.

Before the Eagles landed Pickett -- who will now undoubtedly become a backup to Jalen Hurts -- they checked in elsewhere. It's bad news for the Bears.

Eagles checked in on Justin Fields availability and went elsewhere instead

On ESPN's SportsCenter, on the heels of the trade, insider Dan Graziano reported (H/T BR) that the Eagles checked in on Justin Fields with the Bears but could not agree on a price. They pivoted to Pickett instead.

There's a lot to unpack here. Firstly, it says a lot about how much the Eagles value the QB2 role on the roster. Does that indicate any shaking trust in Jalen Hurts, or some concern about fragility and injury availability? Or do they see a backup QB as a real value-add to championship aspirations?

Secondly, what does it say for the Bears and their hopes to trade Fields? They had an interested and clearly motivated buyer for Fields. While the Eagles may not have wanted to expend the level of value the Bears would like for Fields since they viewed him as a backup, will they really get more than what the Steelers got for Pickett?

Insiders have already suggested no one really wants to trade for Fields.

The only way one can envision them getting more is if someone is trading for Fields and trying to instantly start him. Are there any teams out there that need him in such a role? You'd be hard-pressed to find an obvious answer.

If the Bears are struggling to find this much value for Fields, do they think about other options? For one, they could just keep him and have him face off with Caleb Williams (assuming that's who they take at No. 1 overall) for the starting job in training camp. Or, they could push him to a QB2 role by default. Thirdly, they could get really creative and listen to the alternative crowd screaming for the Bears to try to use Fields as a Taysom Hill utility type.

Maybe the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have a plan of patience here. Surely, they can get some teams bidding against each other at more desperate times of the year. The draft may present some opportunity. Or, perhaps an injury creates an immediate need for a team at quarterback.

For now, though, it looks like finding good value for a Justin Fields trade will be tough.