Justin Fields set on moving forward in new offense

LAKE FOREST — Justin Fields will admit his first season in the NFL had its ups and downs.

Even though at times it seemed like the previous regime didn’t put him in the most advantageous situations, he still learned a lot that will help him move forward.

“There are a lot of things that will be beneficial this year,” Fields said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “My experience out on the field and me spending time out there, seeing the speed of an NFL game, just the feeling of being out there. It’s just different from being on the sidelines. So I’m just glad I got that experience last year. And like I said before, I’m excited for Year 2.”

And in Year 2, Fields’ primary focus is set on learning Luke Getsy’s offense and all the new concepts. Also, as of now, the two haven’t watched much tape from last season.

Everything is set on moving forward with the new regime.

The second-year quarterback and first-time play caller have already begun working on the fundamental components on what it will take for this pairing to have success in their first year together.

One of the areas that Fields is adjusting is his drop back. Last season, in former coach Matt Nagy’s offense, Fields had his right foot forward when he was in shotgun, and now he will have the left foot forward.

“It’s just what they do in their offense. It times it better with the routes and stuff like that, so that’s why we do it,” Fields said.

Getting the proper footwork down in April should help Fields get the ball out quicker once the season starts, which is another part of his game that the quarterback wanted to address.

With Fields going into this season as the unquestionable starter, he has taken it upon himself to coordinate training sessions with his teammates. Back in March, Fields worked out with wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet in Atlanta, Ga.

Fields has also continued training with his quarterbacks coach Quincy Avery. In the most recent meeting, he met former NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick for the first time.

Overall, Fields feels a sense of empowerment and has gained a new mindset heading into his second year, which coach Matt Eberflus has stated should be when he takes a big leap.

For the young quarterback to take that next step, it starts in the three-day voluntary minicamp at Halas Hall, where Fields will begin to establish the connections with his new teammates and coaches.

“Like I said, before, we’re installing a whole new offense, so it’s really about just getting the guys out there on the field, and, you know, running through the base plays, and kind of just getting a feel of all the new players and stuff like that,” Fields said. “So we have just been building relationships, installing this offense, and you know, just excited to get out.”

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