The Justin Fields situation with the Chicago Bears has been frustrating all season long. When he was playing, he was playing a poor brand of football that had many fans questioning whether or not the team should keep him. Now, he’s out due to a thumb injury and his return is nowhere in sight.
On Monday, looking ahead to Week 9, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus made it clear that Fields would be out at least another week. There was no update provided on a timetable for his return.
Thankfully, Tyson Bagent has given the Bears reason for optimism. The undrafted rookie has looked the part of a potential starter in the NFL. Obviously, he is a raw talent and just had a rough outing against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, but the talent is apparent in his arm.
One sports doctor named Jess Morse revealed a major belief about Fields’ injury. He thinks the Bears’ quarterback could still end up missing the rest of the 2023 season due to his thumb injury.
Justin Fields #DaBears
Week 9 will be the 3rd week that Fields misses with his right thumb dislocation.
I’m genuinely curious why they didn’t place him on IR. If they did, they could have had him return after the bye.
IMO there is still a good chance he needs season-ending… https://t.co/APwPdRrnWq
— Jesse Morse, MD (@DrJesseMorse) October 30, 2023
More About Justin Fields’ Injury And Future
On the outside looking in, the Fields injury didn’t appear to be one that could be season ending. Many quarterbacks deal with hand injuries and are able to bounce back and play after a few weeks.
Morse is clearly under the impression that Fields may need to undergo a surgery. If that is the case, it seems very unlikely that he would be able to return to action in 2023.
Throughout the six games that Justin Fields was able to play for the Bears this season, at least so far, he completed 61.7 percent of his pass attempts for 1,201 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also picked up 237 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Clearly, the lack of rushing production has been confusing from Fields. Back in 2022, he recorded an impressive stat line of 160 carries for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. The Bears may be trying to protect him from injury, but his game has undergone a major change this year.
At just 24 years of age, Fields still has the ability to get back to being viewed as a rising superstar. That title has been taken away from him currently, but the talent is there for him.
Chicago has been linked as a team that could tank for USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Analysts have been very adamant that the Bears would gladly take Williams over Fields. If that does end up being the case, a Fields trade seems inevitable and there would be plenty of teams around the NFL that would have interest in acquiring him.
Expect to continue hearing more news and speculation about Justin Fields in the coming days. Hopefully, he can get back on the field this season. But, if Morse is correct, we may have seen the last of him already until next year.