When the Chicago Bears report to training camp on Tuesday, all eyes will be on rookie quarterback Justin Fields. The 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields has continued to impress this offseason, exciting the Bears fanbase for 2021 and beyond.
The Bears coaching staff has been very clear about who the week one starter will be: Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. When training camp officially begins, so will an evaluation period at the QB position. There are advantages and disadvantages to starting Dalton but starting Fields week one gives the Bears coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate Fields progress throughout the course of a 17-game season.
“Just getting better everyday,â€Â Fields said via the Bears official Youtube page. “I mean, I’ve been in a situation like this before and all I did was get better. I feel like if you can control what you can control and come to work everyday with a positive attitude and a want to get better then there’s no stopping you.â€
Fields’ actions have made it clear that he’ll show up to Halas Hall everyday over the next few weeks with the mindset of preparing like the starting quarterback, hoping to make steady, incremental improvement, even if it means eventually winning the starting job.
“Great things don’t happen all at once. I’m just going to be patient,†Fields said. “I’ve been in this situation before where I’ve had to learn behind a guy, so this is nothing new for me. I’m just going to take it day by day, get better each and everyday. I’m going to trust coach Nagy and the whole coaching staff here to develop me and make me the best quarterback I can be.â€
Whether he’s the opening week starter or sitting on the bench come week one against the Los Angeles Rams, Fields has made it clear that by getting better everyday, he’s willing to push the Bears coaching staff to make a difficult decision, benefitting the Bears in the present and in the long-run.