Chicago Bears Moving Quickly on Justin Fields Trade, Could Be Done Next Week

The Chicago Bears are pushing forward with trading quarterback Justin Fields, and could do so within the next week, according to a report by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

The Bears are expected to be hashing out details of a trade at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis next week.

“I think the bones of the trade will be set next week,” Breer said in a appearance on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Friday. “There’s some urgency on the Bears part to get something done.”

Chicago has until after the NFL Draft to trade for Fields, with the only thing forcing their hand is the May deadline to pick up his fifth-year option for 2025. Even that will probably be done by a team acquiring Fields, but the Bears doing it ahead of time may limit their trade options.

It’s unclear what the market for Fields will be, with returns speculated all the way from a first-round pick to something in day three. 

The bigger pills to swallow for the acquiring team than the draft pick layout will be what they’ll have to pay Fields, and quickly. They’ll likely have to pick up his option for 2025, estimated at over $23 million, and then he will quickly need a contract extension if he pans out. Spotrac projects that such an extension could be worth six years, $238 million.

The Steelers reportedly not chasing Fields, but that hasn’t stopped him from being linked to the team over and over and over again this offseason.

RELATED: ESPN Projects Trade That Would Bring Justin Fields to Steelers

In addition to Pittsburgh, popular projected landing spots are the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders. The Commanders and Patriots have the second and third picks in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, and should be able to land rookie quarterbacks if they want to.

Teams like Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, drafting lower in the order, likely only have Fields available to them in terms of the ability to land a quarterback with elite talent this offseason.

But Fields hasn’t turned that elite talent into elite results through three seasons, and with Caleb Williams available with the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears appear set to push Fields to another pasture and pin their hopes on a younger player.