Quarterback evaluation is most important thing for Bears this offseason

The Chicago Bears are in a tough spot with their quarterback position.

Are they going to roll forward with Justin Fields? He’s a tremendous athlete who can make some big-time plays using his arm. However, we have not seen him take enough of a step as a passer to think that he is good enough to be an impactful NFL winner.

There are a few flashes of brilliance that they can look to as a positive, but they should not be convinced in the long-term. The Bears have the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which they could use on a quarterback if they determine that Fields is not the guy.

The most likely option is USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the projected No. 1 pick. Plenty of scouts have their doubts, but some think he is generational. It will be a long time before we know the truth, but Williams may be worth taking a chance on. This is the biggest decision in general manager Ryan Poles’ young career.

If Chicago doesn’t hit on this decision, they are going to continue being a bad franchise. You don’t win in the NFL with bad quarterback play. Having good quarterback play doesn’t guarantee you anything, but bad quarterback play is nearly impossible to overcome.

When watching the playoffs this year, it was hard not to notice that all of the top teams had great quarterbacks. The Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs have the best of them all in Patrick Mahomes. You may not find that again in a generation, but you don’t even have a chance of competing with Kansas City if your guy isn’t good at all.

For the Bears, having the fourth best quarterback in the NFC North is a very bad start. That starts Chicago off on the wrong foot every season. Hopefully, Poles sees the opportunity in front of him as he can address this issue on draft night. Until the Bears get that type of quarterback that can lead this team the way it needs to be led, they’ll keep trying and trying again.