CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night time, an individual knowledgeable of the deal instructed The Related Press.
Chicago will obtain a conditional 2025 choose, one other individual acquainted with the main points of the commerce instructed the AP.
The transfer is a powerful sign the Bears will draft a QB — maybe USC’s Caleb Williams — with the No. 1 general choose within the draft.
The individuals spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the groups haven’t introduced the commerce. NFL Community first reported the deal.
Fields thanked Chicago and the group, in addition to his teammates in a submit on X.
“Can’t say thanks sufficient to the town of Chicago for taking me in and embracing me,” he tweeted. “Thanks to the complete Bears group and possession for permitting me the chance to be a part of such a historic franchise. However most of all thanks to my all my brothers that I performed with. You all had been the rationale I attacked every day the way in which I did. I can’t thanks all sufficient for what y’all have meant to me over the past 3 years by way of the ups and downs. I want every one in every of you nothing however success.
“Prepared for this subsequent chapter!”
Fields figures to again up nine-time Professional Bowler Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers on Friday. Pittsburgh additionally traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles as soon as it added Wilson.
Wilson mentioned he’s wanting ahead to working with Fields, tweeting: “Let’s get it @justnfields! QB room bout to be (fireplace).”
Fields, drafted eleventh general in 2021 by the Bears and former basic supervisor Ryan Tempo, struggled as a rookie below former coach Matt Nagy. Although he produced large performs along with his legs and arms, he didn’t develop as a passer the way in which the staff hoped the previous two years below coach Matt Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles.
Fields has thrown for 200 yards or extra simply 13 occasions in 40 video games and has only one 300-yard passing sport in his profession. Fields confirmed some enchancment within the pocket this season and threw for a career-high 2,562 yards. However he was twenty second within the NFL with an 86.3 passer ranking.
Chicago may have gotten a giant haul by buying and selling the No. 1 choose. However it’s not usually the traditionally quarterback-challenged Bears have an opportunity to draft a prospect corresponding to Williams. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is essentially anticipated to be picked first general after he threw 72 landing passes with solely 10 interceptions the previous two seasons at USC after a yr at Oklahoma.
The commerce of Fields comes two days after the Bears acquired Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers of their second commerce for a star receiver in as a few years.
They dealt the No. 1 choose in 2023 to Carolina for DJ Moore final March. The Bears additionally received the Panthers’ first-rounder this yr. And with Carolina ending a league-worst 2-15 report, Chicago wound up with the No. 1 choose this yr.
Fields, in the meantime, will get an opportunity at a contemporary begin in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers completely revamped their quarterback room over the past month, with Pickett, Mitch Trubisky (lower) and Mason Rudolph (signed with Tennessee) gone.
President Artwork Rooney II made it very clear in January that it was “time to get some wins” within the postseason. Whereas the staff publicly backed Pickett within the aftermath of a yr that ended with the previous first-round choose serving as Rudolph’s backup, in a means the Steelers had no alternative on the time with Trubisky all however assured of being a wage cap casualty and Rudolph set to develop into a free agent.
Issues have modified quickly, an uncharacteristic improvement for a staff that prides itself on stability in a league constructed on the alternative in most locations.
There may be little doubt Wilson would be the starter in Week 1, permitting Fields time to get acquainted with first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system and hit the reset button on a profession that hasn’t gone to plan.
Whereas Fields has had accuracy points, he additionally affords the sort of mobility that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has craved for years. Tomlin hoped Pickett would be capable to provide a portion of it. As an alternative, Pickett struggled to make vital strides throughout his first full season as a starter in 2023. He threw for simply six touchdowns and 4 interceptions in 12 video games, the sort of manufacturing that despatched Pittsburgh into the offseason with extra questions than solutions about crucial place on the sphere.
4 days into the brand new league yr, these questions are very totally different.
Can Wilson regain the successful contact he had throughout his extremely profitable run in Seattle? And may Fields grow to be the sort of participant Chicago envisioned when it took him with the eleventh general choose in 2021?
The transfer — similar to bringing in Wilson for simply $1.2 million whereas Denver picks up the opposite $39 million he’s due — comes on a budget for Pittsburgh. A choose outdoors of the highest three rounds for a participant with potential upside is hardly a king’s ransom.
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AP Professional Soccer Author Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Fla., and AP Sports activities Author Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
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