Pace’s bold move this year makes far more sense than when he traded up to take Mitch Trubisky.
Everyone gets nervous when Bears general manager Ryan Pace takes a big swing in the draft, and rightfully so. But this one is different.
Pace gave up a lot, including the Bears’ first-round pick next year, but he’s also getting a lot in Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. This is much different than when he bet the franchise’s future on Mitch Trubisky four years ago.
Fields fits every part of the criteria to be the Bears’ long-term answer at quarterback in a way Trubisky never did. There’s far more certainty and far less projection after he dominated college football the last two seasons.
Fields piled up 5,373 yards 22 games and threw 63 touchdown passes versus nine interceptions while leading Ohio State to the playoffs twice. He went throw for throw with No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence and had him on the ropes with two minutes left in 2019, then thumped him in the playoffs last season.
“I think it’ll translate well,” Fields said.
That carries much more weight than Trubisky going 8-5 and losing in the Sun Bowl during his lone season as a starter at North Carolina. There’s a world of difference between their credentials.
So while the Bears settled for fourth choice among quarterbacks, opting for Fields over Alabama’s Mac Jones, the price they paid to move from No. 20 to No. 11 is justifiable for Fields.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3gQjRRu
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