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As Justin Fields waits for a resolution to find out where he’s going to be playing in 2024, the Atlanta Falcons are emerging as one of the most-likely landing spots if he gets traded by the Chicago Bears.
Per NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock, the Falcons “checked in” with the Bears about a possible Fields trade prior to the NFL scouting combine.
Speaking to reporters at the combine on Tuesday, Bears general manager Ryan Poles said they want to be fair to Fields by not dragging this situation out while also trying to do what’s best for the franchise:
“I will say this: If we go down that road, I wanna do right by Justin as well. No one wants to live in gray. I know that’s uncomfortable. I wouldn’t wanna be in that situation either. So we’ll gather the information. We’ll move as quickly as possible. We’re not gonna be in a rush. And (we’ll) see what presents itself and what’s best for the organization.”
Poles also said he’s been in contact with Fields’ representatives to “let them know kinda what we’re looking at” and “how things might play out” as the process goes along.
The Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers have been the most-talked about potential landing spots for Fields. USA Today‘s Tyler Dragon cited the Las Vegas Raiders as another team that has shown at least “some level of interest” in the 24-year-old quarterback.
All three teams have a need at quarterback and no obvious path to get one of the top draft prospects without making a significant move up in the first round.
Fields isn’t a bad alternative because he’s shown tremendous potential over the past three seasons. He just needs to find the right landing spot with a coaching staff and scheme that can help him put it all together consistently.
The Ohio State alum is coming off his best season as a passer in the NFL. He threw for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns in 13 starts. His 1,800 rushing yards over the past two seasons are the most by any quarterback, and he ranks third in rushing touchdowns (12) during that span.
The Falcons are looking for some semblance of stability at the quarterback position. They have had three different players start multiple games over the past two seasons since trading Matt Ryan in March 2022.
Any team that might acquire Fields would have to make a significant decision about his contract. The deadline for a team to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie deal is May 2. He would be guaranteed $25.7 million in 2025 if the option gets picked up.
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