The NFL preseason was promising for Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields.
He ended the preseason with a strong start, passing for three touchdowns.
While everyone says the games have little meaning, it means a lot to him.
With the Bears having him as their starting QB this season, he needs momentum.
Those preseason games gave him the momentum he needs.
It is also a defining moment for the young QB, as he is the offensive leader in Chicago now.
The Pressure Is On To Excel In Year 2
While the Bears are clearly rebuilding, the pressure is still on Fields to excel this season.
However, he’s doing this with few big name offensive weapons.
But he has a slate of young stars hungry to impress the Chicago faithful.
nobody thinks Justin fields is doing anything by himself the idea the bears have no weapons is false Montgomery, Kmet,Mooney, Velus Jones, Pringle, etc…secondly the national media is paying attention because your dorky coach is a great soundbite for hard knocks
— Jonathan A Hand (@Jonathan_A_Hand) September 7, 2022
Players like David Montgomery, Cole Kmet, and Darnell Mooney are hungry to improve this season.
Newcomers Velus Jones Jr. and Braxton Jones also look to impress in their rookie seasons.
While Velus is behind Mooney on the depth chart, he can still get playing time.
However, Braxton is tasked with playing starting left tackle, meaning he must protect Fields’ blindside.
If these players can do well, it will help Fields excel in his second season.
Fields Needs To Continue Making Better Reads
Part of Fields’ problem during the 2021 season was making bad reads.
He needlessly ran out of the pocket during plays, which led to sacks.
While the Bears ranked as the worst offensive line in 2021 for sacks, they were top ten in having a clean pocket.
During the preseason, Fields had that clean pocket and made the correct reads.
Great route by Pettis, but pay attention to the clean pocket for Fields. O-line handling the 4-man rush with no problem to give Fields time and an easy pitch and catch. #Bears https://t.co/BwMdJSjm5a
— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) August 27, 2022
He didn’t panic, as he let plays progress downfield instead of rushing away from the pocket protection.
If he can continue this, his 2022 season can see remarkable improvements from him.
However, it’s also up to this new offensive line to show the same performance during the regular season.
Can The Bears Offensive Line Protect Fields In 2022?
The Bears only kept one veteran player from their 2021 starting offensive line in Cody Whitehair.
However, the team got several offensive linemen via the NFL Draft and free agency.
But can those new roster additions help protect Fields this season?
With Lucas Patrick coming aboard as the new starting center, it’s a good first step for Chicago.
Ja’Tyre Carter, a backup rookie lineman, is another player the Bears got in 2022 to bulk up their offense.
However, all eyes are on rookie tackle Braxton Jones.
While he has the pressure of protecting Fields, the young QB doesn’t expect him to be perfect.
#Bears QB Justin Fields said he's gonna be real with rookie LT Braxton Jones when adversity hits on Sunday.
"I hope none of y’all [meaning the media] expect him to win every rep against Nick Bosa," Fields said.
— Sean Hammond (@sean_hammond) September 7, 2022
He’s a rookie already thrown into the fire of facing Nick Bosa, an elite edge rusher.
With Patrick and Whitehair having a record of protecting their QB, it’s on the rookie to step up.
For a fifth-round draft pick from a small college program, it’s an enormous deal for Jones.
He can easily help, or hurt, Fields’ chance of success in 2022.
So while this season is a defining moment for the young QB, he might be defined by the play of his offensive line.
NEXT: Can Bears Defensive Additions Help Stop NFC North Rivals?