The Bears’ quarterback quandary has everything to do with Justin Fields — and, in some cases, nothing to do with him at all.
Whenever Fields returns — coach Matt Eberflus said Monday the team will monitor his right thumb during practice to see whether he can play Thursday night against the Panthers — Fields is the only one who can control his fate. It would take a star turn the rest of the season for the Bears to be able to keep Fields as their 2024 starter, much less be willing to give him a contract extension when he’s first eligible for one this offseason.
The more likely outcome features the Bears using one of their top draft picks — they own the Panthers’ pick as well as their own — to draft a quarterback.
The Bears could have picked a quarterback in April. That’s why any analysis of the team’s quarterback problem hinges on not only Fields’ play but the opportunity cost the Bears gave away when general manager Ryan Poles traded the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers for two first-round picks, two second-rounders and receiver DJ Moore.
The Bears will get an up-close look at the Panthers’ Bryce Young on Thursday night. He’s one of three rookie quarterback whose performances in Week 9 show what might have been — for better and worse:
• The Texans’ C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick, set the rookie record with 470 passing yards and became just the sixth rookie quarterback since 1937 to throw for five or more touchdowns in a game in Sunday’s 39-37 win against the Bucs. He is the third quarterback of any age to throw for at least 470 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, joining Ben Roethlisberger and Y.A. Tittle.
• Young, whom the one-win Panthers drafted with the Bears’ No. 1 pick, threw three interceptions — as many as Bears undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent — and, amazingly, two pick-sixes in a 27-13 loss to the Colts on Sunday. His 48.3 passer rating was his worst since his season opener.
• One week after becoming just the third quarterback ever to throw four touchdowns in his debut, the Titans’ Will Levis marched the Steelers toward a game-winning touchdown Thursday but threw an interception in the end zone as the clock expired. He went 66 yards in 1:38 to have a chance to throw from the Steelers’ 19.
The Bears could have drafted any of the three. They could have taken Levis even after making the Panthers trade — a projected first-round pick, the Kentucky quarterback plummeted and was taken with the second pick of the second round. He’s played well enough in two starts in relief of the injured Ryan Tannehill to keep getting opportunities.
Stroud has already posted two games with more passing yards than Fields has reached in any of his three seasons. He’s looked comfortable since Week 1, posting a passer rating of 103 or more in half of his eight starts. He’s thrown one interception all year — his 0.4 interception percentage is lowest in the NFL.
Young, who is generously listed at 5-10, 204 pounds, has posted more bad days than good. He’s thrown for more than one touchdown in a game just once — and for two or more interceptions in three games. Pro Football Focus lists him as their No. 34-ranked quarterback. By comparison, Tyson Bagent is No. 29 and Justin Fields is No. 15.
When asked about the Panthers trade Monday, Eberflus praised the play of Moore — and the Poles’ decision to add draft picks.
“It really sets us up nice,” he said, “and we’re excited about what we can do with that going forward.”
Increasingly, the Bears seem likely to use one of the picks on their next quarterback. The play of Stroud, Young and Levis will determine how much they’ll regret not doing it a year earlier.
