Atlanta Falcons Are Favorites to Land QB Justin Fields This Offseason
One of the biggest stories entering the NFL offseason is what the Chicago Bears will do with QB Justin Fields since they have the 1st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. USC Trojans QB, and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams is -900 at DraftKings Sportsbook to be drafted 1st overall as of Feb. 20. Essentially, Williams is a lock to be taken with the 1st pick in April regardless of what team is drafting.
It's getting likelier and likelier that the Bears will take Williams 1st instead of trading back in the draft. This means that Chicago will most likely trade Fields for future draft capital and/or pieces to put around its new quarterback. Fields further validated these rumors by unfollowing the Bears on Instagram. With that in mind, the Atlanta Falcons are -130 favorites at DraftKings to be the next team Fields takes a snap for the 2024-25 NFL season.
There are a variety of reasons why Atlanta is the favorite to acquire Fields. First, the Falcons have a stacked roster, especially on offense, and are a quarterback away from winning their terrible division. Atlanta finished 7-10 last season, one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. But, the Falcons have the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft and three quarterbacks will be off the board by the time they pick.
Second, along with unfollowing Chicago on Instagram, apparently, Fields also follows Atlanta TE Kyle Pitts, RB Bijan Robinson, and WR Drake London, according to the Action Network. The Falcons drafted all three of these guys inside the top 10. They and their next quarterback will be the building blocks of Atlanta's future.
Furthermore, after struggling through most of his first three seasons in the NFL, Fields started to look like a franchise guy at the end of 2023. The Bears won four of their last six games to end last season and almost snuck into the NFC playoffs. Fields set career highs in completion rate, passing yards per game, QB Rating, and sack rate.
Bears QB Justin Fields drops back to pass against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field in Chicago.
(Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports)
Also, Fields is a Georgia native and was a 5-star recruit who went to the University of Georgia in 2018 before transferring to Ohio State for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. While I don't think Fields' Georgia ties factor into Atlanta's decision. It might nudge people toward betting on the Falcons as the 1st team Fields plays for next season.
Even though I'm not betting this, I'm rooting for Chicago to trade Fields to Atlanta because it works for all parties. Fields earned another chance at a starting job in the NFL. And, since "franchise quarterbacks" are so hard to find, the Falcons should gamble on Fields' upside.
However, the Bears should draft Williams. It resets the "rookie quarterback contract cycle" and I think Williams is the best quarterback prospect in the NFL draft since Andrew Luck. The best situation for a team to have is either a franchise quarterback or a rookie quarterback surrounded by talent.
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