Bear Necessities: Let the Justin Fields era begin

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The moment Bears fans have been waiting for since night one of the 2021 NFL draft has arrived — rookie quarterback Justin Fields is making his first NFL start, which should be the beginning of what’s hopefully a long and prosperous career with the Bears.

While we don’t know how Fields will pan out just yet, the excitement surrounding his potential to rewrite the quarterback narrative in Chicago and finally deliver the Bears a modern franchise quarterback has brought new hope to the fan base.

With Andy Dalton sidelined with a bone bruise in his knee, Fields has a chance to take hold of the job on a permanent basis with an impressive game or two. Because even though Matt Nagy has insisted that Dalton is the starter, if Fields lights it up over the next couple of weeks, even Nagy won’t be able to go back to Dalton

Whatever happens during Fields’ first start, there’s no need for overreaction, be it negative or positive. A bad game doesn’t mean he’s a bust. And a great game doesn’t mean he’s a Hall of Fame.

That’s the exciting thing about the Fields era, it’s only just beginning. And it’s going to be a thrilling ride.