15 Most Impactful Bears of 2022: No. 1 Justin Fields
The Chicago Bears wrapped their 2022 season, the place they completed 3-14 and misplaced their remaining 10 video games of the 12 months. However the future is shiny heading into this 2023 offseason, as GM Ryan Poles has the No. 1 choose within the NFL draft, a boatload of wage cap area and a franchise quarterback in Justin Fields.
Over the following few weeks, we’ll be counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2022 season and sit up for how they issue into 2023.
It ought to come as no shock that Fields lands the highest spot on our listing, contemplating he was the crew’s most electrifying participant and someway made a 3-14 season thrilling.
Background
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Place: Quarterback
Age: 23
Expertise: 2nd 12 months
2022 cap hit: $4.29 million
2022 stats
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192-of-318 (60.4%) for two,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 85.2 score
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160 carries, 1,143 yards, 8 touchdowns
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15 video games
2022 recap
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Solely Fields may make a three-win season an exhilarating one which saved Bears followers on the sting of their seats. Truthfully, Fields might be the factor that saved followers from testing properly earlier than season’s finish. Positive, Chicago had the worst passing sport within the league from Week 1 to Week 18. Sure, Fields didn’t go for greater than 254 yards in a single sport final season. However when taking a look at his weak supporting forged, it’s a surprise that Fields had the sort of affect he had as an entire for this crew. And Fields did make strides as a passer, regardless of what others will attempt to dispute.
Fields established himself as one of many NFL’s most electrifying gamers, and he made nice strides in his second season, notably with regards to his pure playmaking capability. Whether or not it was by design or self-preservation (normally the latter), Fields found that he’s an elite rusher to the tune of 1,143 yards, which fell simply 64 yards in need of Lamar Jackson’s single-season dashing document. There was a stretch the place Fields had this struggling offense averaging 30 factors per sport, the place he gave the impression to be making NFL historical past on an virtually weekly foundation. That included dashing for 178 yards — essentially the most ever by a quarterback in a daily season sport — in opposition to the Dolphins. The truth is, Fields cleats now sit within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
2023 outlook
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The long run is shiny for Fields, regardless of all of those sizzling takes that need you to consider the Bears would willingly commerce away their first franchise quarterback in a very long time. As a substitute, this offseason will probably be about constructing round Fields — whether or not that’s getting him assistance on the offensive aspect of the ball or addressing weaknesses on the protection to assist make this a extra well-rounded roster, which must be a quarterback’s greatest good friend.
Whenever you have a look at the jumps some younger quarterbacks have made between Yr 2 and Yr 3, there’s no denying this is a crucial season for Fields. Whereas Fields has established himself as an elite runner of the soccer, he is aware of he must get higher as a passer. And there’s nowhere to go however up after Chicago had the league’s worst passing sport. Granted, shoring up the offensive line, including some extra playmakers on offense and one other 12 months in Luke Getsy’s scheme ought to do Fields wonders. There’s a cause Bears followers are so optimistic coming off a 3-14 season, and that’s as a result of Chicago discovered its man in Fields. Now, the enjoyable begins.
15 Most Impactful Bears of 2022
We’re counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears of 2022. Verify again every single day.