Bears quarterback Justin Fields showcased his potential in Luke Getsy’s offense during Saturday’s preseason finale, where he was confident, accurate and decisive in his three touchdown drives.
Despite many already declaring Fields will struggle in Year 2 — due to questions about his supporting cast — Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney is predicting his QB1 will “shine” in 2022.
“I know he’s a dog. I know he does things after practice, during practice and in the offseason,” Mooney said Monday, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “There’s things that he’s shown. I’ve seen exactly what he can do. He’s gonna shine for sure. He’s gonna blossom.”
The Bears open the season against the 49ers, which will feature a matchup between two of the first-round quarterbacks from the 2021 NFL draft in Fields and San Francisco’s Trey Lance, who assumes the starting role from Jimmy Garoppolo.
Fields was the fourth quarterback chosen in that draft, where the Jaguars, Jets and 49ers all opted to draft another quarterback. Mooney believes Fields will make San Francisco regret passing on him in last year’s draft.
“He’s gonna prove everything that everybody doubted him on – especially Week 1,” Mooney said. “That team passed on him. So they’re gonna have to pay a little bit for that.”
This won’t be Fields’ first time facing the 49ers. He faced them as a rookie in Week 8, where he showed his playmaking ability in a limited Matt Nagy offense.
Now, Fields will face San Francisco in a new offense catered to his skillset. But he’ll be facing a talented 49ers defense in the process. It’s an early test for the young QB.
