Report links Bears' Justin Fields with AFC West team

Regardless of his actual desires this offseason, every indication is that Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields will have a new NFL home either before or shortly after his current employer uses the first overall pick of this year's draft to land his replacement. 

Fields has been linked in stories with clubs such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, but Sportskeeda consulting editor and NFL analyst Tony Pauline reported on Wednesday afternoon that the Las Vegas Raiders have "genuine interest in" and will explore trading for the 24-year-old.

The Raiders reportedly aren't too pleased with veteran signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo, who is expected to be cut sooner rather than later after he received a two-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's performance enhancing substances policy. 

Pauline said that 2023 fourth-round draft pick Aidan O’Connell "seems to be the choice of" head coach Antonio Pierce, but recently hired Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco allegedly "wants a big name at the quarterback position." 

Additionally, the Raiders hired former Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to be their new OC earlier this month. Getsy worked with Fields over the previous two campaigns. 

According to Pro Football Reference, O’Connell finished this past regular season ranked 26th in the NFL among qualified players with a 40.5 adjusted QBR, 25th with an 83.9 passer rating and 27th with a 62.1 completion percentage. Across 11 games, he tossed 12 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. 

It was reported earlier on Wednesday that the Bears could receive selections in the second and fourth rounds of this year's draft for Fields. Pauline mentioned that the Raiders currently possess the 13th overall pick and choices in each of the draft's first six rounds. 

The fact that a team has until the May 2 deadline to either exercise or decline the fifth-year option for 2025 worth an estimated $23.3M attached to Fields' rookie contract theoretically could impact what assets a club is willing to send Chicago for his services. 

Trading a second-round pick for a player who could be merely a one-year rental wouldn't make much sense for any buyer unless that club believed Fields could prove to be the missing piece as it pertains to making a run to Super Bowl LIX next February.