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The Chicago Bears have officially moved on from Justin Fields.
The organization sent the quarterback to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2025 that can become a fourth rounder if he plays in 51 percent of the plays, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fields is expected to back up Russell Wilson, according to Schefter.
Once the Bears secured the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it was only a matter of time before the team would come to a decision to trade the former No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Fields, 25, played 40 games in three seasons in Chicago. Throughout that time, the offense was inconsistent due to a multitude of reasons.
It started in Fields’ first career start against the Cleveland Browns in 2021 — a game that ended with the quarterback being sacked nine times in a loss.
At the end of Fields’ rookie year, head coach Matt Nagy was fired and in came an entirely new coaching staff. During the 2022 season under Luke Getsy, Fields ran through the league with his 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns.
But the passing element to his game never materialized in his first three seasons. Fields finished with a career-high 2,562 passing yards in 13 games played last season. DJ Moore and Cole Kmet finished with their highest receiving total of their careers, 1,364 and 719.
Despite showing progress in 2023, it ultimately wasn’t enough for general manager Ryan Poles to stick with Fields for another season and to also move on from the No. 1 overall pick for a second year in a row.
Now, the Bears can officially focus on selecting the franchise’s next quarterback. All signs are pointing towards that being USC’s Caleb Williams.
USC’s Pro Day will take place on Wednesday, March 20, and the expectation is that the Bears will be heavily represented.