Bears must be cautious with QB Justin Fields
The Chicago Bears may just have a keeper in quarterback Justin Fields.
However, the team can't let Fields take the kind of punishment he took against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Fields took four sacks on Sunday against the Falcons' underwhelming defensive front. He wound up being carted off after Chicago's loss with an apparent left shoulder injury.
The Bears asked Fields to use his legs late in the contest, which might not have been the wisest move with the quarterback in pain. Some NFL fans were not happy with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy after the designed runs that he called for Fields while ailing.
Fields is a star in the making, but Chicago is going to have to be careful with its potential franchise quarterback.
Time and time again, we've seen talented quarterbacks take unnecessary lumps behind struggling offensive lines. It stunts their development, hurts their bodies, and causes them to lose confidence. The Bears have one of the worst offensive lines in football, and Fields is paying for it weekly.
Chicago has more than $125 million in cap space next spring, per Over the Cap. With gobs of money to throw at free agents and the promise of playing with Fields, they can certainly rehaul the offensive line.
For now, the Bears must be careful not to let now be the enemy of later. Fields has a bright future, but he won't get there with nearly as much success if he takes too many hits this fall.
More must-reads: