Here’s what Ryan Poles has to say about trading Justin Fields
|Here’s what Ryan Poles has to say about trading Justin Fields
Justin Fields
Here’s what Ryan Poles has to say about trading Justin Fields to the Steelers
Poles thanked Fields for his time in Chicago
By Ryan Taylor • Published March 16, 2024 • Updated on March 16, 2024 at 8:04 pm
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The Bears are trading Justin Fields to the Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round pick that could turn into a fourth-round pick based on playtime, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter
The Bears announced on Saturday they officially traded Justin Fields to the Steelers in exchange for a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick in the draft.
General manager Ryan Poles released a statement following the trade.
“We have engaged in multiple trade conversations in recent weeks and believe trading Justin at this time to Pittsburgh is what’s best for both Justin and the Bears,” Poles said. “Today we spoke to Justin to inform him of the trade and the rationale behind it for us as a Club. We want to thank him for his tireless dedication, leadership and all he poured into our franchise and community the last three years and we wish him the best towards a long and successful NFL career.”
Fields has been rumored to be traded for most of the offseason. Most believed all along this offseason the Bears will use the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft to draft USC’s Caleb Williams. That’s a certainty now since the Bears have traded Fields to Pittsburgh.
Initial reports suggested the Bears could yield as much as a second-round pick for Fields. Unfortunately, free agency hampered his value, as several quarterbacks signed with the spots that resounded most with Fields. Russell Wilson was one of those quarterbacks, signing with the Steelers.
Fields will become the backup in Pittsburgh behind Wilson, according to several reports. For the Bears to earn a fourth-round pick from the Steelers, he would need to defy the odds and play 51% of snaps for the team during the 2024 season. It’s all but likely this pick will not convey into a fourth-rounder and remain in the sixth round.