Several people are asking “what if the new coach wants Fields?”
Then that coach, as well as Poles, are saying “we’re tying our careers to Justin Fields, and we will either win the Super Bowl, or get very close, in 2025.”
For 2023, Fields’ cap hit is about $5M, which represents just over 2% of the Bears’ cap. Next season, it will be $6M, which will also be around 2-2.5%. That’s 30th in the league for QBs, according to Sportrac.
Then the price elevator starts.
This offseason, if the Bears keep Fields, they must exercise his 5th year option, and that money is guaranteed to Fields and counts against the cap. I was trying to see how much it would be but no website has the specifics. I’m guessing the answer is “more than 6M”.
But that’s not even it. By the time we get to the 2024-25 offseason, Fields is going to need an extension. And that’s going to be pricey, and eat a lot of cap room, and suddenly Roster Jenga begins in earnest, and your newly-rebuilt team better be winning a lot and have very few holes left, because there’s going to be a lot less money to fill them.
Finally, if I’m hiring a new coach, and he wants to keep our QB who is going into his 4th season…then that coach has a very fucking short leash. And, rightfully, so do I as a GM. Because look at the trick bag the Giants are in now with Daniel Jones.
Picking the wrong QB in the draft is bad. Giving a QB who is no better than mid The Bag is a horrific disaster.
Several people are asking “what if the new coach wants Fields?”
Then that coach, as well as Poles, are saying “we’re tying our careers to Justin Fields, and we will either win the Super Bowl, or get very close, in 2025.”
For 2023, Fields’ cap hit is about $5M, which represents just over 2% of the Bears’ cap. Next season, it will be $6M, which will also be around 2-2.5%. That’s 30th in the league for QBs, according to Sportrac.
Then the price elevator starts.
This offseason, if the Bears keep Fields, they must exercise his 5th year option, and that money is guaranteed to Fields and counts against the cap. I was trying to see how much it would be but no website has the specifics. I’m guessing the answer is “more than 6M”.
But that’s not even it. By the time we get to the 2024-25 offseason, Fields is going to need an extension. And that’s going to be pricey, and eat a lot of cap room, and suddenly Roster Jenga begins in earnest, and your newly-rebuilt team better be winning a lot and have very few holes left, because there’s going to be a lot less money to fill them.
Finally, if I’m hiring a new coach, and he wants to keep our QB who is going into his 4th season…then that coach has a very fucking short leash. And, rightfully, so do I as a GM. Because look at the trick bag the Giants are in now with Daniel Jones.
Picking the wrong QB in the draft is bad. Giving a QB who is no better than mid The Bag is a horrific disaster.