Assessing potential Justin Fields commerce locations, together with Steelers, Broncos and Patriots initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Chicago

The winds of change are blowing within the NFL. The teaching carousel got here to a cease earlier this 12 months, the Tremendous Bowl is finished and shortly it will likely be time for upcoming free brokers to seek out their new houses. Annually, the vast majority of the main focus is positioned on which quarterbacks will find yourself with new groups and this 12 months will probably be no completely different. The prevailing opinion amongst NFL pundits is that the Bears will draft Caleb Williams with the No. 1 general decide this April and commerce away Justin Fields. Vegas oddsmakers agree.

So what might a commerce bundle for the present Bears quarterback appear like? Any deal clearly depends upon which workforce the Bears get along with for a possible deal. Listed here are some mock commerce packages, starting from affordable to out of this world.

When Justin Fields commerce rumors first began surfacing, Atlanta was a vacation spot that got here up straight away. They’re loaded with younger playmakers like Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Including a quarterback who’s a menace on designed runs might take the offense to the subsequent degree. The query was all the time if Arthur Smith was the correct coach for Fields, since Smith and the Falcons handed on Fields in 2021. However now Smith is out of city.

This may be the storybook touchdown spot for Fields since he grew up 30 miles exterior of Atlanta and grew up cheering for Michael Vick. It could additionally make sense for the Bears because the Falcons’ second-round decide is a number of spots increased than the subsequent workforce on this checklist. After all, the Falcons might favor one other rookie QB and use their first-round decide to deal with the place.

Adam Schefter modified the dialog– and moved the markets– when he reported that Mike Tomlin is a fan of Fields earlier this week. Kenny Pickett has proven flashes of first-round expertise in his two years with the Steelers, however general his efficiency has been underwhelming. It’s conceivable that Pittsburgh provides one other QB to at the very least compete for the beginning job, like they did once they signed Mitchell Trubisky in 2022.

The Steelers minimize Trubisky on Monday and Mason Rudolph’s contract expires in March, in order that they’ll have so as to add new quarterbacks to the room. However do not forget that bit about Arthur Smith passing on Fields in 2021 from the Falcons blurb? He’s the Steelers’ new offensive coordinator and there are already rumors of him reuniting with Ryan Tannehill this season after the 2 succeeded collectively in Tennessee in 2019 and 2020.

Geno Smith revitalized his profession in Seattle, however new head coach Mike McDonald has taken over the workforce. McDonald beforehand labored because the Ravens defensive coordinator, so perhaps he desires a QB who’s a bit extra of a menace together with his legs after watching Lamar Jackson for therefore lengthy? Or perhaps new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who joins the Seahawks after working because the Washington Huskies OC, convinces the workforce to draft Michael Penix Jr. as an alternative? Or perhaps the Bears get a greater provide from one other workforce because the Seahawks already traded away their second-round decide to the Giants in change for Leonard Williams? Regardless of the motive, this one feels rather less seemingly.

When Dianna Russini reported that the Broncos plan to chop Russell Wilson in March, Denver turned a shock potential touchdown spot for Fields. Nevertheless it falls into the “unlikely” class for a few causes. First, the Broncos’ second-round decide belongs to the Saints resulting from final 12 months’s Sean Payton commerce. Second, Payton lately mentioned the highest trait he appears to be like for in a quarterback is fast processing, and that’s one of many knocks in opposition to Fields.

After Mac Jones flamed out in 2023, the Patriots want a brand new quarterback. Why not Jones’ 2021 draft classmate? One motive the Patriots may cross is that at the very least one thrilling rookie prospect will fall to them in both Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. One motive the Patriots may be in is {that a} commerce for Fields frees them as much as draft broad receiver phenom Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 3 general decide.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – NO. 3 OVERALL PICK IN EXCHANGE FOR FIELDS, NO. 9 PICK, NO. 75 PICK AND 2025 FOURTH-ROUND PICK

That is the place we get actually wild and loopy. If we’re going by draft worth charts, the sort of bundle could be near even– assuming the Patriots agree Fields is price a second-round decide. The Texans shocked the world once they traded as much as draft Will Anderson simply moments after choosing C.J. Stroud. Possibly Bears GM Ryan Poles take a web page out of their playbook? Doesn’t really feel seemingly, however a blockbuster transfer like this might put the Bears in place to draft Harrison Jr. themselves.

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