The NFL’s quarterback carousel continues to go round and round as the Chicago Bears finally traded Justin Fields this week to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional sixth-round pick.
The return was much less than many believed the Bears would be able to fetch for Fields, as the available landing spots for his services dried up quickly and sapped much of the leverage Chicago had in a potential move.
Albert Breer of NBC Sports has highlighted how this deal can get better for the Bears, as the provision with the trade is that the pick becomes a fourth-rounder if Fields plays over half the offensive snaps for Pittsburgh in 2024.
Source: The 2025 sixth-round pick the Steelers are sending the Bears for QB Justin Fields becomes a fourth-rounder if Fields plays 51% of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps in 2024.
So very simple—if he becomes starter, for one reason or another, it's a 4.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 17, 2024
Quite simply, if Fields winds up starting for the Steelers for one reason or another, this pick moves up to a 4th.
It was announced shortly after the Fields trade that he will not be competing for the starting job, so his only path to meeting this provision is if Russell Wilson either gets injured or benched.
It’s in play, as Wilson was benched towards the end of last season.
It’s a shame Fields has been forced to take a demotion, but it could be good for him in the long run as he now has the opportunity to learn behind a quarterback with a very similar skill set to his.
The path is now clear for Chicago to begin the Caleb Williams era, and Fields will be looking to follow in the recent footsteps of guys like Baker Mayfield and Ryan Tannehill as high draft picks who got benched and re-established themselves as stars elsewhere.
NEXT: 5 Teams Reportedly Contacted Bears About Justin Fields Trade