30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 1 Justin Fields

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2022 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 most important Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2021 season, look ahead to 2022 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

We’ve reached the end of our list and it should come as no surprise to see that quarterback Justin Fields is our Most Important Bear of 2022.

Background

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields watches teammates at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Lake Forest, Ill., Tuesday, May 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Position: Quarterback

Age: 23

Experience: 2nd season

2022 cap hit: $4.289 million

2021 recap

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) scrambles against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

To say Fields’ rookie season was tumultuous would be a gross understatement, through no fault of his own. The Bears shocked the NFL world by trading up to select him in the 2021 NFL Draft, only to have him sit behind Andy Dalton throughout training camp. Former Bears head coach Matt Nagy didn’t entertain the idea of a competition and instead had planned to sprinkle him into the offense last year.

That all changed when Dalton went down with an injury in week two and Fields took over. He had some great highs, like his performance on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers where he brought the Bears back to nearly win, with some deep lows like his infamous first start against the Cleveland Browns with a game plan made out of cheese.

Injuries limited Fields throughout the year, playing in just 12 games with 10 starts. He finished with 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 73.2.

2022 outlook

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields throws a pass at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Lake Forest, Ill., Wednesday, May 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Everything is new this year for Fields as he has a new general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and even a new center to hopefully help him improve during his second season. The other important factor this year for Fields is that he’s the unquestioned QB1 heading into the season, not having to worry about climbing the depth chart. He has a starter’s mindset and has reportedly been locked in with players and coaches all offseason.

First-year head coach Matt Eberflus raves about Fields’ work ethic and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy believes he’s ahead of the curve already from where they thought he would be. Most importantly, the coaching staff believes in playing to Fields’ strengths, which is welcome news for one of the fasted quarterbacks in the league.

Fields will still need to get accustomed to his new receivers as much of the receiving corps outside of Darnell Mooney has changed over. New players such as Velus Jones Jr., Byron Pringle, and Equanimeous St. Brown are fairly unheralded, but each have something to prove. With new weapons, a new scheme in place, and coaches who aren’t going to put him in a box, 2022 could be a huge leap year for the 23-year old quarterback.

Big question: Can Fields become the franchise quarterback?

Oct 31, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) reacts after a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

When Fields was drafted, the entire Bears fan base believed the team had finally found their franchise quarterback. He checked all of the boxes and was seemingly unbreakable given his make up, athleticism, and overall skill at the quarterback position. After his rookie season, however, the optimism has slightly faded among some fans and some doubt has crept in as to whether or not he can be the team’s answer the QB.

Fields still possesses all of the traits that made him one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory and the hope is that a new system that is tailored to his strengths will bring the best out of him. There were flashes of brilliance in 2021, but also some growing pains that need to be worked out, such as holding onto the ball in the pocket. For better or for worse, he’s also going to need to win over a new staff that didn’t select him in the draft.

This year will be very telling for Fields and his development. The Bears aren’t expected to be a contender by any stretch, but if Fields takes strides and shows he can become an upper echelon quarterback, then this season will have been worth it. The Bears will go as far as he will go.

30 Most Important Bears of 2022

We’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears of 2022. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp.

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