Bears QB Justin Fields makes bold prediction for team's offense

"Plan on doing it this year," Fields told the "All Things Covered" podcast. Erik Kramer holds the single-season Bears record for passing yards in a season with 3,838 yards in 1995.

A 4,000-yard season would be a welcome development for Chicago after it had one of the league's worst passing offenses the past two seasons. In fact, no team was worse at throwing the football than the Bears in 2022, with the team finishing last in attempts (377) and yards (2,219).

Fields barely eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark during his first two seasons, needing 27 games to reach 4,112 yards. 

To make it to 4,000 yards, a quarterback must average 235.3 yards over the course of a 17-game schedule. During his career, Fields has averaged 152.3 passing yards per game. Last year, he had at least 235 passing yards only once. 

Chicago acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore in a trade this offseason, giving the team reason for optimism. Fields hasn't had a receiver of Moore's quality since joining the Bears. Moore had three consecutive 1,100-yard seasons from 2019-21 and at 26 is just entering his prime.

A major area of concern is the offensive line. Since being drafted in 2021, Fields has been sacked 91 times, second-most in the NFL during that span. Chicago added former Titans guard Nate Davis in free agency and selected tackle Darnell Wright out of Tennessee 10th overall during the 2023 NFL Draft. If those additions fail to make the unit better, Fields won't have a chance at 4,000 passing yards.

The Bears will also likely want to continue taking advantage of Fields' strength as a runner. Last season, he finished with 1,143 rushing yards, second all-time among QBs behind Lamar Jackson. 

ESPN analytics reveal Fields' expected points added (EPA) on run plays (46.5) were the most among quarterbacks in 2022. His EPA on pass plays ranked 30th, ahead of only Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield.

Chicago needs to be more balanced on offense but so much of what makes Fields special is his running ability. It's unclear if he'll even get enough opportunities in the passing game to reach 4,000 yards.

Every team is bullish about its prospects during this time of year but for an organization that is still trying to figure out the forward pass 117 years after it was legalized, Fields might want to pump the brakes.