NFL Rumors: Justin Fields' Struggles Not Drawing 'High Level of Concern' from Bears

The Chicago Bears looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL through the first two games of the 2023 season, but there is still reportedly plenty of optimism regarding quarterback Justin Fields inside the team facilities.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported he is "not detecting a high level of concern from inside the Bears' building on Fields" in part because "the coaching staff always believed this would be another building year for" the quarterback and the offense despite elevated outside expectations going into the 2023 campaign.

A glass half-full approach would suggest that getting offensive linemen Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis back and in the lineup will certainly help after Fields was sacked a combined 10 times in losses to the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Some of those sacks happened because the quarterback held onto the ball too long and seemed hesitant to throw downfield.

If Fields is going to take some of the strides that the organization reportedly still believes will happen, he will need to make quicker decisions when it comes to getting rid of the ball.

But it should be noted offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has done him absolutely no favors.

Fields was at his best last season using his legs on the way to 1,143 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Lamar Jackson is the only quarterback in NFL history to run for more yards in a season when he accounted for 1,206 yards on the ground in 2019.

Yet Bears insider Zack Pearson noted Chicago has called a grand total of four designed runs for Fields through two games this season. It has completely taken away the best part of his game, which makes life much easier for opposing defenses to stop the Bears offense.

There have also been multiple instances of receivers running the exact same routes next to each other and the same type of screen pass being called multiple times in a row, as ESPN's Dan Orlovsky broke down:

Chicago's comeback chances against the Buccaneers ended in the final minutes on Sunday when Shaquil Barrett intercepted a screen pass and returned it for a touchdown.

It turns out, it's easier to defend plays when they are telegraphed in advance.

"They called a screen," linebacker Lavonte David told reporters. "It was the same formation, everybody knew what was coming."

Things don't get any easier for the Bears with a matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It is difficult to envision anything but an 0-3 record to start the season, which is not where the team wanted to be after acquiring wide receiver DJ Moore to help the offense this offseason.

The Bears still internally believe in Fields, but it is going to take improvement from the quarterback who isn't playing well, the offensive line that has struggled at times and the play-caller who has not put his team in the best position to succeed if that is going to become a reality.