Vikings’ Rival’s QB Situation Keeps Getting Weirder
The Minnesota Vikings aren’t the only team in the NFC North who need to figure out their QB spot this offseason.
The Chicago Bears are also in a bit of a predicament at the position in terms of what they want to do moving forward. Throughout this week, the Vikings’ rivals have been filling NFL headlines because of the strange QB situation that they currently find themselves in.
Vikings’ Rival’s QB Situation Keeps Getting Weirder
Back in 2021, the Bears opted to trade up to 11th overall to select Justin Fields out of Ohio State. In exchange, Chicago gave up No. 20, a 2021 fifth rounder, a 2022 first rounder, and a 2022 fourth rounder.
Throughout the past three seasons, the Bears have continued to hold faith that Fields can be their franchise QB. They even traded away the first overall pick last year rather than selecting their choice of the available quarterbacks.
However, this offseason has gone a bit differently so far in Chicago. The Bears once again hold the first overall pick (by virtue of their trade with the Carolina Panthers last spring), and this year’s QB class looks like it may be the best at the top that we’ve had in years.
As a result, there have been trade rumors galore when it comes to Fields and where he could end up in 2024. Those whispers turned to shouts this week when it was discovered that the QB had unfollowed the Chicago Bears on Instagram.
Many took this as reason to believe that Fields was indeed getting traded from the Bears. However, the QB then went on the St. Brown brothers’, Amon-Ra and Equanimeous, podcast via The 33rd Team to explain why he did this. Here was his answer:
“Why do people take social media so serious?” Fields said. “I still mess with the Bears, this and that. I’m just trying to take a little break [from football content]. I unfollowed the Bears and the NFL. I’m just trying to not have football on my timeline.” The QB continued, “It’s either keep Fields, we want Fields or it’s either draft Caleb [Williams]. Man, I’m tired of hearing the talk. I just want it to be over.”
It seems that the QB would like to stay in Chicago if possible, but at the end of the day, he simply wants the saga to be over. It’s a very interesting situation as well. On one hand, the Bears managed to improve by four wins in 2023 with Fields showing some great growth as a passer and actually went 5-4 over the final nine games of the season.
However, Fields will soon be due for a contract extension, and the Bears could reset the clock if they decide to draft Caleb Williams or another QB this spring while acquiring additional draft capital.
The Bears have a big decision to make over the course of the next couple months, similarly to the Vikings, and it will change the course of their franchise for years to come.
So It Begins: Vikings Re-Sign Young Safety for 2024
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.