Justin Fields’ time in Chicago is up. The Bears need to find a new quarterback – but they need to make sure things are clear first.

374 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions – these are the numbers of a winner. Stupid only if they are not your numbers.

When they’re the numbers of a 38, soon to be 39 year old quarterback. Even dumber when that soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback was still watching the NFL on the couch Sunday after Sunday weeks ago.

Joe Flacco is a winner. Justin Fields is not. At least not in the NFL. Maybe not yet. In any case, he lost the duel against Flacco. He has lost too many duels against other quarterbacks in his three NFL seasons so far.

Of course, it wasn’t always down to him. The conditions with the Chicago Bears weren’t always the most favorable, and still aren’t.

But after three years in the NFL, after three years with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles – even though he’s only been there two years – is faced with the question: Is Justin Fields a franchise quarterback? One who can lead his team? To win?

Justin Fields shows his talent too rarely

His potential flashes again and again in games like against the Cleveland Browns and Joe Flacco: 19 of 40 passes completed, 166 yards, 4.2 per pass, one touchdown, two interceptions – both of which were intercepted Hail Marys.

Fields currently has nine wins in three years in the NFL, including two game-winning drives. Both of which were completed by field goals. Fields is still too inconsistent.

For the Chicago Bears, there is therefore no other solution than to invest one of their two first-round picks in a quarterback in the upcoming draft to part with Fields. Currently, with the Carolina Panthers’ current 1st pick and their own 5th, the prospects are outstanding.

Chicago Bears need to position themselves

Before the Bears invest the No. 1 pick in Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, they have to clean up their own house, they have to position themselves and provide clarity – and that has been the biggest problem that Fields and his predecessors Mitch Trubisky or Jay Cutler have all suffered from.

Because under the direction of the owner’s son George McCaskey, many things are going wrong. First and foremost the decision-making chain.

Here’s the example of Fields: General Manager Ryan Pace selects Justin Fields in the 2021 draft. Team president Ted Phillips fires Pace. A committee led by Phillips installs Ryan Poles as general manager and Matt Eberflus as head coach. Phillips resigns after the 2022 season. The Bears appoint Kevin Warren as the new strong man.

Warren must now end the chain of mistakes. First he has to commit to his general manager, then the general manager to his coach and then the GM and coach to the quarterback. Anything else will only end in a fiasco.

We saw that with “Primetime Cutty”, with Mitch Trubisky and now with Justin Fields.