Bears Mature Enough to Handle Fields' Potential Exit: Johnson

As the 2024 NFL Draft approaches, rumors continue to swirl around the Chicago Bears’ plans for their quarterback position. While several veterans, including cornerback Jaylon Johnson, have publicly supported retaining Justin Fields, the team is widely expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on highly touted prospect Caleb Williams.

In a recent interview, Johnson acknowledged the possibility of Fields’ departure but expressed confidence in the Bears’ locker room maturity to handle such a transition. “We know the business that we’re in,” he said. “So I feel like it wouldn’t be mature of us as a locker room not to rally together in spite of having Justin leave.”

While Johnson would prefer the Bears to stick with Fields, he understands the complexities of the situation. “I know what it would do to keep him here. I know how we would feel with him here,” he admitted. “We’ll all have our opinions, our emotions, but as far as the locker room staying together, I think we have the right guys in the locker room to keep everything together, to keep us together.”

The Bears’ decision to potentially move on from Fields, despite his promising sophomore campaign, highlights the cutthroat nature of the NFL. As the annual offseason quarterback carousel continues to spin, fewer and fewer obvious landing spots for Fields remain, putting Chicago in an awkward situation.

General manager Ryan Poles faces a dilemma: hang onto Fields in hopes of a trade opportunity arising or move him for a mid-to-late round pick to clear a clean path for Williams. The latter option, while potentially undervaluing Fields, could avoid the awkwardness of having a rookie quarterback answer questions about the locker room’s support for the incumbent.

Johnson, however, remains resolute in his belief that the Bears’ locker room can weather any storm. “We’re all here to win ballgames,” he said. “So I don’t think it’s about necessarily our feelings or, ‘Oh, well, you did this.’ We’re all here to win games. So whoever Poles brings in, whoever the staff brings in to help us win games, that’s who we’re going to rock with.”

The Bears’ situation mirrors, to some extent, the Browns’ handling of the Deshaun Watson trade in 2022. Cleveland held onto Baker Mayfield until July, despite acquiring Watson and his massive contract, ultimately trading Mayfield to the Panthers for a conditional fifth-round pick.

As the draft approaches, all eyes will be on Poles and the Bears’ front office, as they navigate the delicate balance between maximizing their compensation for Fields and providing a smooth transition for their presumptive new franchise quarterback.