With a long summer just getting started, the hottest debate of all will be about who the Chicago Bears starting quarterback should be for the 2021 regular season. Fans continue to scream for Justin Fields to start. Through three days of rookie minicamp, Fields has continued to impress, leading to the question: Could Chicago legitimately name Fields the week one starter?
The Bears have continued to insist that veteran Andy Dalton will be the starter. On the surface, the Bears plan is simple: Start Dalton for a few weeks, let Fields learn from the sideline before handing the torch off to Fields at some point during the 2021 season.
On Sunday afternoon, head coach Matt Nagy reiterated who the starting quarterback would be. Backing Dalton should come as a surprise to nobody, especially since general manager Ryan Pace has also said Dalton is the starter going forward.
“As we work through with Justin and where he’s at with this offense, we know it’s going to take a little bit of time here this offseason and as we get into training camp,” Nagy said via the Bears official Youtube page. “Andy is the starter. Andy is going to get the one reps.”
The easy solution would be to start Fields day one. But the Bears are showing that they’ve learned from past mistakes. Rather than just throw Fields to the wolves, Chicago is doing everything the right way, bringing Fields along slowly. The franchise realizes Fields isn’t just a five-year investment. He’s a 15 to 20 year investment that should solve the quarterback position in Chicago for the first time in franchise history.
There is a simple piece of information that’s missing when it comes to Dalton starting. He may be the opening day starter in Los Angeles for the Bears but Chicago has yet to disclose how long Dalton will actually be under center for the Bears. It’s hard to see Chicago completely turning around and just naming Fields the starter over Dalton but the franchise that’s been cursed at the quarterback position for the last 102 years is finally trying to things the right way.