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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

D.J. Moore’s endorsement of Justin Fields over top QB draft prospects is a case of being a good teammate, not QB evaluator

Justin Fields DJ Moore Bears Caleb Williams Drake Maye Chicago (Organization)

D.J. Moore is one of the NFL’s finest playmakers.

He’s got sticky hands, is an explosive monster after the catch, and seldom wastes any space or time when running routes. That reality potentially makes what he has to say about his quarterback that much more meaningful, like how he talked up Justin Fields after the Chicago Bears’ heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

When asked about the Bears’ upcoming quarterback-of-the-future decision — Chicago currently owns the No. 1 overall draft pick via the Carolina Panthers — Moore was indignant. He almost couldn’t believe people were talking about names like Southern California’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye playing for the Bears when they already had Fields.

Moore took his position so far that he even said none of the top prospects were better than his current quarterback. Eh, I don’t think there’s as much to this sentiment as anyone still holding onto hope with Fields wants to believe:

For one, Moore isn’t going to throw Fields under the bus while he’s still teammates with him and while the Bears are still playing out the string on the 2023 season. Moore also assuredly knows it’d be a massive story if he endorsed a new quarterback over Fields in public, with the internal drama not being remotely worth the risk for the hapless Bears.

Right now, the Bears are staring down the barrel of another lost and empty season. Fields shows unique flashes of brilliance every week but ultimately hasn’t played consistently well enough to justify giving him a fourth season on the Chicago lakefront without a reasonable debate. It’s not an obvious call in his favor in the least. To be clear, Fields, who is only 24 years old, still might possess a solid modicum of potential. But if the Bears do finish with the 2024 draft’s top pick, they have to seriously consider moving on by drafting a much more malleable and potentially more promising young quarterback.

Kudos to Moore for standing up for Fields. That’s what he’s supposed to say. But even if the Bears do stick with Fields in 2024, Moore’s comments will have zero impact on their decision.

This was how Twitter reacted to Moore's endorsement of Fields

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