INDIANAPOLIS — Like the offensive tackle the Chicago Bears may soon draft to protect Justin Fields, CJ Stroud had his former Ohio State football teammate’s back.
Many of the questions Stroud asked on the NFL Scouting Combine podium were about his epiphanic running performance against Georgia in the Peach Bowl playoff semifinal. Fields faces opposing criticism after two seasons in the NFL. He nearly set a new quarterback running record but didn’t answer lingering questions about his passing ability.
Stroud chose to run more in the Peach Bowl because that’s what Georgia allowed him to do. Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns last season because he often needed an escape route behind a shaky offensive line with few skilled weapons.
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Stroud knew how many punches Fields had absorbed. He also championed an entire skill set that Fields has yet to fully capitalize on.
“He’s not a fucking running back,” Stroud said. “He’s a quarterback and he can throw that rock. So I’m going to defend my brother every time and he’s going to do great things in his career, and I’m excited to play him.
Enough questions surround Fields’ ability to be an accomplished NFL passer that at one point some speculated the Bears could trade him and take a front-row quarterback. Instead, they gave Fields a show of vocal confidence, then backed her up by moving to No. 9 as part of a deal with the Carolina Panthers.
In addition to the draft pick trade, the Bears also received receiver DJ Moore. He will easily be the best talented player Fields has had in Chicago. The Bears also signed free agent guard Nate Davis away from the Titans.
More help should arrive at the beginning of the April project. Either the Bears find more receiving and protection talent the first two days, or they find more defensive playmakers to ease the pressure on offense,
Either way, the Bears are building around Fields. Now we’ll see if he saves the confidence of his former teammates.
When asked what he would say to someone who viewed Fields as just a running back, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba replied, “I don’t think they’re very smart.” Center Luke Wypler answered the same question with a less critical response.
“So you haven’t watched enough movies,” Wypler said. “Once you give him the weapons he needs and the things he needs to succeed, he will be one of the most talented football players in the National Football League.
“I only played with him for a year there at Ohio State, and some of the things he did day in and day out were next level. I think watching him play at the level where he is now , he’s really starting to show the NFL what he’s talking about and I’m excited to see what he’s capable of next year.
Fields, however, needs to improve his effectiveness as an NFL passer. He ranked 17th in yards per attempt. 31st in completion percentage, 32nd in interception percentage and 25th in quarterback efficiency. His 1,143 rushing yards, however, nearly broke Lamar Jackson’s quarterback record of 1,206.
Former Buckeye safety Ronnie Hickman said Fields was never live for contact in practice. He never had to struggle with Fields’ running ability. But he’s seen enough of his prowess to know he can show more in the NFL.
“Like I said earlier about CJ, he’s just a guy who can put the ball wherever he needs to be,” Hickman said. “Throws from the long hash to the sidelines and the 25-yard return. Just throws you have to tip your hat to.
The Bears have plenty of options with this No. 9 pick. Two possibilities available would be former teammates Smith-Njigba or offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. Or, they could choose to improve a defense that ranked last in the league. NFL in the bags.
Either way, Fields will be quarterbacking for a more talented team come opening day. A roster that earned the No. 1 pick overall is being revamped.
Will the fields we see in 2023 be more like the one the Buckeyes remember?
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