Chicago Bears

If you keep Eberlose and company, you have to keep Justin. We can not have another rookie QB having his rookie year ruined by a coach in a lame duck year.

I’m a Justin Stan. The biggest thing working against him is whatever rookie we draft would be 4 years of cost control, vs fields 1 year. He needs to be very good to end the year to make it no doubt.

If we do end up trading him, I will own my first non Bears jersey

Ask again in 6 weeks, that is the appropriate time for this discussion in my opinion

We have this discussion everyday. Idc what they do, just fire the coaching staff, and I am certain we will win more games

No move on and let the new coach choose his QB so he can maximize his scheme. Sure fields is ok but he hasn’t been amazing and a new coach may struggle to maximize his strengths.

I would be okay bringing back Justin (even though I want him to get away from Chicago media and fans) , and if the new HC believes in him and what he can do with his talents, I’m very down to run it back with like MHJ and Bowers or another lineman

However, I would absolutely think about drafting a QB in the 3rd round. I might lean more toward a Center in that area, but if they like a QB who’s there and want to light wither fire under Justin by having 2 promising young QBs behind him, then I’m for that as well

I would like to sync up a GM/HC/QB with all “their guys” for once. Keep Poles, let him hire “his coach”, and let him and his coach draft “their QB”. Then there are no excuses anymore, everyone is on the same page

No legitimate coach in the league would not want Justin Fields as his QB.

We've had 11 QBs in 10 years.

Maybe QB isn't the problem.

If we keep this staff I will light myself on fire

If we are keeping Matt Eberflus for the 2024 season, is now too early to start talking about who you guys want us to draft in the top 10 in 2025?

First off. I’m pissed that the coaching staff wasn’t fired this morning.

Second. Why can’t we keep Fields and draft a QB as well? Let the new guy sit a year or two while JF1 finishes out his rookie deal.

I do think Justin showed a lot of good yesterday and made enough plays to win the game. We can always nitpick on should he have done this or that, other players stepping up, etc. but that’s not what this thread is about. This is about the pending decision on the direction to go at QB and HC and tying the two together. I think what is sometimes lost in the discussion of what happens at QB after this season is the fact that what happens with the coaching staff really plays a really big role in that decision as well. I highly doubt there is a large contingency of people here who feel Eberflus and Getsy should survive after this season. Yet we have a large group of fans who want to retain Fields. But then you must answer the question on whether or not it is wise to not let the new coaching staff handpick their QB. We constantly complain that we never time up our hires correctly when it comes to having the GM, Coach and QB all in sync and on the same timeline. Like when we paired Nagy with Mitch -- it was an arranged marriage that then led to questions about Nagy not wanting Mitch, Nagy made Pace go get Foles, etc. And we did the same thing with Justin being paired with this staff and tasking them to make it work with a QB they had no part of in the decision-making process when we drafted him. Do we really want to go down that same path? Like I get it, in a perfect world Justin shows he is that dude and we have 2 first rounders to spend on other positions. But unless you are OK with bringing back this staff, we’re basically repeating our mistakes of the past. And I am not here saying 100% we should or should not move on from Justin, I just think if we opt to do so, keeping the staff intact is likely the best decision as well. And after yesterday’s coaching blunders that’s also a tough pill to stomach.

I personally think they’re now anchored at the hip together. They both go or they both stay. Enough of this “saddle a new coach with a QB” nonsense we’ve done for decades.

Making Fields learn yet another offense next year would be a disservice to both Fields and the fans. If the coaching staff is actually let go, or even if only Getsy is scapegoated and fired, both Fields and the Bears need a fresh start. I wish him the best, and the organization surely did him no favors, but imho, it’s best for everyone.

Justin is a starting QB at a minimum. Keep building the line and the roster with those picks and we’ll be in a great spot to compete with a new coaching staff.

Keep Fields and Poles

Fire the coaching staff and higher an offensive HC

Draft Harrison.

I personally 100% believe Fields can be a franchise quarterback. The coaching he has received has been the worst in the league.

Yes it would be the exact same thing lol

I don't buy into this "a new regime MUST pick a NEW qb" mantra.

Does it happen that way a lot? Sure. You usually can everyone when your team sucks and when your team sucks you usually have bad QB. So it makes sense that all of those people are replacing their QBs. But if Andy Reid retires due to health problems or something, they aren't bringing in a new QB. That, my friend, would be a mistake.

Similarly, hiring a GM/HC who has such an ego they will throw a fit if they can't bring in a new QB just for the sake of being able to say they found the next great QB, would be a mistake.

So these are separate options to me.

Getsy - gotta go

Eberflus - gotta go

Fields - most likely goes, but he can earn a place by playing well enough down the stretch.

So to answer your question, I COULD be ok with it. But only based on Fields being a consistently great QB.

New coach gets a new qb. No way we hire a guy and then tell him to decide Fields 5th year option in the off-season and not let him pick a qb with one of two top five picks. Even if the new guy loves Fields that’s career suicide.

Absolutely not.

Justin Fields is a bad qb and you can't saddle a third coaching staff with him

Yeah just like how the Dolphins got rid of Tua and let Mike McDaniel draft his own QB...

The proper way to do is hire your HC right away and let them decide if they want Fields or a Rookie QB. We're going to end up with a top 3 draft pick, maybe even 2 of them. We should let the new coach decide if he wants to build a system around Fields or draft a QB who fits his scheme.

Flus is gone. No chance he returns at this point. That means an entire new coaching staff. With that said we're probably going to hire a guy who's won before and he can bring in the coaching staff and QB he wants.

Having Justin Fields here doesn’t prevent the new staff from drafting a QB. Caleb Williams or Drake Maye (or the field) don’t HAVE to start week 1, especially if they’re not ready.

Fields can play out Year 4, likely with his option declined, and become a FA at 25 years old. If he’s performed well enough, then he still gets paid and he likely gave us the best chance to win.

Poles, again, doesn’t have to pick up his option, extend him, etc. if a new staff decides they want to develop Caleb or Maye… that’s fine. As long as Justin is here, he’s still under his rookie contract. Whether or not he starts another year or is a backup or traded isn’t really up to him outside of performing to the best of his ability.

I think this is a very easy analysis.

Do we have a top 2 pick? If so, then you draft Williams or Maye. Both looks like total stud prospects. Here are the reasons why:

-this new organization deserves to hire its own coach. Yes, I've heard the argument that Poles was allowed to choose between the 3 finalists. But that's nonsense. That's like your wife putting 3 shirts on the bed and saying "you choose which one you wear tonight." You didn't really choose, she did.

-The new coach, and Poles' regime, deserves to draft its own quarterback. Justin wasn't their guy. They tried with him. It didn't work out.

-Justin may be damaged goods. He was criminally misused and unsupported. He has so many bad habits that it's difficult to project him as a reliable starter going forward, even though he does have clear talent.

-Justin is injury prone, and his style of QB doesn't help matters.

-The QB salary scale matters. Look at Brock Purdy. He came out of nowhere to impress because the team could spent to put talent around him.

So it pains me to say it, but let's not overthink this. The only question is whether we have a top 2 pick. Yes, it gets much more complicated if we don't -- then we have to consider staying with Justin or packaging to move up. But you can't overlook an opportunity like this.

Having the 1st overall will make it extremely hard for me personally to pass on QB, I am however ok with drafting a qb and keeping Justin. That way the rookie can sit if we decide he needs to, and if the rookie earns it by beating Justin out fair and square it that means we upgraded the QB position. I want an upgrade at QB, idc how that comes be it Justin growing into it or a draft pick. We have plenty of other draft capital, and cap space to fill other holes on the roster, but we will NOT have another shot at a number 1 overall QB. Especially one on the caliber of Caleb and Drake whom are both great prospects.

I would love to see a reset fully in the coaching/qb tandem. But tbh I really have stopped caring or trying to guess what the organization will do. I have no control over it so why worry about it

No

It is repeating the same mistake. It’s crazy how badly we’ve failed Justin.

That kid is good and will probably be successful elsewhere. The organization failed him.

Absolutely not. Fields has to go

No I think it's time to trade Fields to Atlanta. Get him a fresh start away from this shitshow. Time to fire Flus and Getsy too. Poles gets one more chance. He needs to hire a good coach, stockpile draft picks, draft a franchise QB, defensive tackles, edge rushers, and another receiver, and then we'll be all set...assuming he doesn't make things worse

We’ve made ALL the mistakes before.

Several people are asking "what if the new coach wants Fields?"

Then that coach, as well as Poles, are saying "we're tying our careers to Justin Fields, and we will either win the Super Bowl, or get very close, in 2025."

For 2023, Fields' cap hit is about $5M, which represents just over 2% of the Bears' cap. Next season, it will be $6M, which will also be around 2-2.5%. That's 30th in the league for QBs, according to Sportrac.

Then the price elevator starts.

This offseason, if the Bears keep Fields, they must exercise his 5th year option, and that money is guaranteed to Fields and counts against the cap. I was trying to see how much it would be but no website has the specifics. I'm guessing the answer is "more than 6M".

But that's not even it. By the time we get to the 2024-25 offseason, Fields is going to need an extension. And that's going to be pricey, and eat a lot of cap room, and suddenly Roster Jenga begins in earnest, and your newly-rebuilt team better be winning a lot and have very few holes left, because there's going to be a lot less money to fill them.

Finally, if I'm hiring a new coach, and he wants to keep our QB who is going into his 4th season...then that coach has a very fucking short leash. And, rightfully, so do I as a GM. Because look at the trick bag the Giants are in now with Daniel Jones.

Picking the wrong QB in the draft is bad. Giving a QB who is no better than mid The Bag is a horrific disaster.

Fire the staff, let the new regime decide what to do with Justin. This isn’t rocket science.

Yes

That game came down to the last 4 minutes … The way the d was playing you’d assume Detroit would have to run more time, critical missed tackles… that kept time on the clock. The coaching staff got super conservative but the deep pass fields missed seemed like the receiver slowed a bit … I don’t know I blame the d more… they got soooo soft late …

I am good keeping Fields but NOT the coaching staff.

You let the new HC pick his guy. If that's Fields, so be it. If that's Williams/Maye, so be it. Either way, this should tie Poles tenure with the Bears too. He picks the HC, and the HC picks the QB. If we still suck a few years later, all 3 are likely gone.

If a new coach comes in and says he can’t win with Fields then this coach isn’t the new coach and you interview the next guy.

Poles I think has earned his right to stay based solely on the Carolina trade. He's the reason the Bears will be set up for absolutely amazing draft prospects.

If Eberflus and Getsy don't get fired I will lose my fucking mind. I honestly don't have a problem with Justin staying. I don't think he's reached his potential, but with the coaches he's had I can't blame him. He isn't playing terrible though either, and I'm honestly not impressed with the QB prospects in this draft. I wouldn't touch Caleb Williams with a 10 foot pole, and I'm not sold at all on Maye.