Ryan Poles said from the beginning that he would do right by Justin Fields, and with his trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, he has done just that. In what many seemed to accept long ago, Fields’ time with the Chicago Bears was coming to an end. With last week’s trade to the the Steel City for a conditional 6th round pick that could turn into a 4th, Poles honored his word and sent the former Bears quarterback to one of the best organizations with one of the best scenarios possible.
Ryan Poles relationship with Justin Fields
Throughout their time together in Chicago, Fields and Poles have seemingly had a cohesive relationship. Upon being hired, Poles threw his support behind the young Bears quarterback, and the tear down of the Bears was underway. Over the next two years, Chicago’s roster underwent massive changes as part of Poles’ immense rebuild. Following the 2023 season and owning the number one overall pick from Carolina, the discussion of Poles moving on from Fields grew from whispers to shouts. The Bears GM promised that he would do what was best for the young QB from the start, and he followed through with that by trading him to the Steelers even though there were reportedly better offers out there.
Photo Credit: USA Today
Steelers quarterbacks didn’t get it done
Steelers fans suffered through a tough year at the quarterback position in 2023. Kenny Pickett didn’t live up to expectations even though the Steelers had a good record when he started. The question is, did they win because of him or in spite of him? On the field, his numbers were pedestrian. He played in 12 games, threw for just over 2,000 yards, and had 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He left early in three of the games he started (Pittsburgh lost all three of them), and while he rarely turned the ball over, he just as rarely put the ball in the end zone.
Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph also started multiple games for the Steelers, but everyone in the football world agrees that they are both backups at best. Rudolph posted good numbers but has taken enough snaps in the league for coaches and GMs to know who and what he truly is–a serviceable backup but not a long term solution. In the end, Trubisky and Rudolph are gone via free agency, and Pickett was unhappy and unloaded to be a backup in Philadelphia.
Ryan Poles stuck to his word
Poles wanted Fields to be in a good situation where he could compete and potentially find a path to playing time. As players started signing and trades were made, that path was becoming more and more murky. As reported by ESPN, Poles worked to find the right place for JF1, even if it meant not getting the very best for the franchise:
“A source told ESPN that five teams in addition to Pittsburgh reached out to Chicago, and the majority of those teams had envisioned the former first-round pick in a backup role. Additionally, the Steelers had been in talks with the Bears throughout the week of free agency and reached out again after sending Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday. The Bears had an additional offer with stronger draft capital from a team with an established starter, per a source, but chose to send Fields to Pittsburgh with the hope of putting the 25-year-old in a position to continue his development — first as a backup to Wilson and eventually as a starter.” – ESPN’s Courtney Cronin
Ryan poles speaks on making sure Justin fields is in a good situation and building strong relationships #NFL #NFLTwitter #NFLFreeAgency #chicagobears pic.twitter.com/yMpPRzrTyV
— CNGPODCAST (@GuyWalk91815793) March 18, 2024
Fields to Backup Russell Wilson: is this really a good situation?
It was only days earlier that the Steelers signed Russell Wilson for a measly $1.21 contract for the upcoming season, so how is this a good situation for Justin Fields? Well, he’s going to one of the best run franchises in the league, with one of the best coaches in the league, with a roster that is coming off a 10-7 season. Russ is the confirmed starter and will probably be extended at some point.
What does this mean for Justin Fields?
Fields, the 4th year QB out of Ohio State, won’t have his 5th year option picked up, so he’ll play this season with a cap hit of $3.2 million. The former Bears quarterback will have serve as the backup to the 35 year old Wilson and will probably be used in certain packages here and there. Any team who was interested in Fields would be crazy not to put him on the field from time to time with the hope of having him break a long run or pick up a first down in a short yardage situation. This will also allow him to learn from a championship level quarterback, consummate professional, and great human being in Russell Wilson.
That Justin Fields run against the Eagles #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/U5WFgW0QFD
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) March 16, 2024
Ryan Poles may reap other benefits in the future
Though Poles may not have received a king’s ransom in return for Fields, and in fact, many say he and the Bears got fleeced, there is a lot of good that could come from this. How often do you hear about a GM truly keeping in mind what’s best for a player that he is trading away? I can’t remember any.
Typically we hear about coaches and GMs running a player ragged. When he loses a step, they get as much as they can for him and call it a day. What Ryan Poles may have done is give those future free agents a reason to want to sign with Chicago. He has proven that he is a general manager who is honorable, loyal, and a man of his word. While all would agree that Fields time in Chicago was a disappointment in the end, it’s evident that Ryan Poles had his back the entire time.
