Roquan Smith's defense of Justin Fields is indictment of Bears in every way

The Chicago Bears could have the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft thanks to a trade with the Carolina Panthers last April. With that in mind, Justin Fields was under a lot of pressure this season to prove he's a long-term option at quarterback.

After some early struggles and an injury, the prevailing thought out of Chicago was that Fields had failed that test, and instead the Bears could spend the No. 1 pick on Caleb Williams out of USC. However, since his return from injury a few weeks ago, Fields has balled out to the point that former teammates have even noticed.

"(Fields is) a talented dude and can really make things happen," Ravens LB Roquan Smith said. "If Justin was in a system where he actually had pieces around him, I think the dude would light it up. He would be a threat very similar to Lamar Jackson."

Is Roquan Smith right about Bears, Justin Fields?

So that's a lot to take in. First, the Bears front office has done their best to acquire some targets for Fields in DJ Moore and even Chase Claypool at last year's deadline. Of course, the shot and missed on Claypool, but Moore seems solid. Second, if anyone is lacking playmakers it is Lamar Jackson. Without Jackson, the Ravens offense would be among the worst in the AFC, as he doesn't have many targets to work with on the outside even with the signing of Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason.

I agree with Smith's assertion to some extent. The Bears are a mess, and they probably have the wrong head coaching staff to develop a franchise quarterback. That should change soon. Fields, though, could very well succeed elsewhere and for good reason.

In that sense Smith is right. If you put Fields in a system that was willing to build around him, perhaps he'd play better. At the very least the Ohio State product has earned a second chance somewhere else in the NFL should the Bears move forward with Williams.