NFL Rumors: Shocking Bears rival could be interested in Justin Fields

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine has arrived, with all 32 teams evaluating the top prospects in this year's draft class. For the second year in a row, all eyes are on the Chicago Bears to see what they do with the No. 1 overall pick. This year's quarterback class is headlined by USC's Caleb Williams, who has been hyped up for quite some time. That would usually be an easy decision for the team that holds the first-overall pick, but the Bears have Justin Fields on the roster.

Recent buzz at the Combine, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, is that the Bears are believed to be trading away Fields and using the No. 1 pick on Williams. Now that leaves the question as to who would be interested in trading for Fields.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano ($) discussed the buzz they have heard at the NFL Combine. When it comes to the Bears trading Fields, Fowler mentions four teams that he expects to be "on the radar," one of them being the rival Minnesota Vikings.

"There's no firm deadline on a trade, though the start of free agency is sort of a soft one. Chicago will need multiple teams in the fray to drive a market, and after asking around, I expect Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Minnesota to be on the radar," writes Fowler.

Vikings listed as team 'on the radar' for Justin Fields

Fields to the Vikings? That would be stunning, especially as it would take the Bears to trade away their starting quarterback to a division rival that they will be facing twice a year.

The Vikings have uncertainty at the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins, who has been with the team since 2018 and led the Vikings to the playoffs three times, is set to become an unrestricted free agent and is the top quarterback available.

Graziano notes in the above column that the Vikings would like to keep Cousins, but writes Cousins "has a very specific idea in mind for what he wants in a new contract, and the Vikings so far have not made an offer that matches it." Additionally, Graziano says that while Cousins and his family like Minnesota, "it doesn't sound like he's willing to offer the team a hometown discount."

As for teams that could be in the running for Cousins, Graziano reports that the Atlanta Falcons have him as their top quarterback option if he hits free agency.

Fields' tenure was mired by poor offensive game plans, lack of quality pass-catchers, and injuries. But upon returning from injury this past season, Fields showcased that he could be a franchise quarterback, and earned some significant support from the fanbase.

In 2023, Fields threw for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on a 61.4 completion percentage, while running for 657 yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries.

It doesn't appear there is any indication that a Fields trade could happen imminently. But the Vikings are a team worth monitoring throughout this offseason.