INDIANAPOLIS — The Bears keep that they arrived in Indianapolis for the 2024 NFL Scouting Mix nonetheless early within the information-gathering stage of their franchise-defining quarterback journey.
Each common supervisor Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus talked Tuesday in Indianapolis, portray an image of a franchise that wishes everybody to imagine issues are up within the air. Poles mentioned he had “no grasp plan” and admitted the timeline to a remaining choice may very well be longer than anticipated based mostly on how lengthy it takes him to know the highest prospects as folks. Eberflus mentioned the Bears are nonetheless within the means of evaluating all the things as they plot a course ahead.
Poles mentioned he plans to be clear with quarterback Justin Fields and will “do proper by” Fields and commerce him rapidly ought to the Bears determine their greatest course is to maneuver on from the 24-year-old quarterback.
Every part the Bears mentioned Tuesday was about placing on the facade that they have not determined whether or not Fields is a part of their future. However issues began to slide via as Poles and Eberflus talked in regards to the traits they search for in a quarterback, giving a giant trace on the course they’re at the moment leaning.
“I have a look at conditions. I have a look at the blokes that may function third down, two-minute, and the top of the sport conditions,” Eberflus mentioned Tuesday. “To me, that’s a separator. And then you definitely have a look at toughness. Toughness for a quarterback actually is in regards to the psychological toughness to have the ability to stand within the pocket and ship the ball and likewise to have the discernment to have the ability to transfer out of the pocket and create when it’s obligatory. They arrive in all totally different sizes and shapes. It’s all the time been enjoyable to judge these.
“I do know what a superb quarterback seems to be like and what’s laborious on a protection is a man who has the power to create, a man who has the power to throw with timing and accuracy, and the man who can transfer the ball down the sector when it’s the vital moments. So on third down, two-minute, all these vital moments.”
Fields’ lack of ability to ship within the fourth quarter has been a quarterback scarlet letter over the previous two seasons.
Out of 40 quarterbacks who threw a minimum of 50 passes within the fourth quarter final season, Fields ranked thirty ninth in passer score at 53.4. Solely Bailey Zappe was worse. He ranked twenty eighth in yards, tied for twenty sixth in landing passes, and was tied for the second most interceptions within the remaining quarter. Thirty-one quarterbacks threw a minimum of 20 passes this season whereas trailing with 4 minutes or much less remaining within the recreation. Fields ranked twenty ninth in passer score and twenty eighth in completion proportion and was tied with Jordan Love and Aidan O’Connell for probably the most interceptions.
The place Fields does verify the bins is as an individual and chief.
Poles has regularly harped on the significance of attending to know every of the highest prospects as an individual. Poles mentioned Tuesday that “time on activity” with every prospect will likely be very important because the Bears attempt to decipher what sort of chief every man is, what makes him tick, and whether or not or not he is the appropriate man to steer the Bears franchise going ahead.
“You are searching for examples of dependability, selflessness, management, and possession,” Poles mentioned. “It’s laborious lately to search out folks which can be like, ‘Hey, this was unsuitable.’ ‘Yeah, it was unsuitable, and right here’s what I’ve to do to appropriate it.’ Fairly than simply type of being BSing your method via it.”
Eberflus echoed that crucial a part of the Bears’ course of will likely be taking the time to search out out issues about Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels that they already find out about Fields.
“The wiring of a quarterback—clearly No. 1 is management,” Eberflus mentioned. “You need to be an amazing chief, you’ve gotta be resilient. You’ve gotta have the ability to deal with criticism, after which clearly the bodily traits. That’s a giant a part of it. The accuracy, the timing, the platform, all of the stuff you discuss with that. After which being a winner. That’s what it comes right down to. All these groups that do issues on the finish of the season, they’ve winners on the quarterback spot.”
Fields checks the management field. There is not any query that his teammates gravitate towards him and can play laborious behind him.
However Fields has additionally spent the final two seasons working to refine his rhythm and timing within the pocket. It acquired higher this previous season, however he additionally spent the least period of time within the pocket final season. In response to Subsequent Gen Stats monitoring knowledge (H/t NFL.com’s Tom Bliss), Fields spent simply 80.5 % of his dropbacks and designed runs within the pocket. For comparability, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have been simply above 85, whereas Patrick Mahomes was a shade below 87. CJ Stroud and Jordan Love have been at 90.2 and 91.9, respectively.
Fields confirmed higher pocket presence in 2023. He did a greater job of scrambling with a passer’s mentality and maintaining his eyes upfield searching for explosives.
However Poles is aware of all of that. He has spent the final two years with Fields. He is aware of what he’s and what he is not.
The subsequent step of the method is about Poles and the Bears studying in regards to the unknown.
The Bears are slated to fulfill Williams, Maye, and Daniels for the primary time this week. These 20-minute sitdowns function the jumping-off level for a deep dive that can decide the Bears’ future on the quarterback place.
Poles mentioned he hopes to get the method performed quickly however is conscious that it may very well be extra drawn out relying on how lengthy it takes him to have the required time on activity with every prospect.
The Bears will spend time with the prospects in Indianapolis, at their professional days, on 30 visits and probably maintain personal exercises if the timing works out.
The Bears won’t have a “grasp plan,” however it positive appears like they know which method they’re leaning.
“Earlier than free company can be good,” Poles mentioned Tuesday. “Like I mentioned, if we have been to do one thing with Justin, I need to do proper by him and I do know, once more, residing in that gray area, we might need to do one thing sooner quite than later.”
Final 12 months, Poles mentioned he’d must be “blown away” to maneuver off Fields.
One 12 months later, he is speaking about “doing proper” by Fields whereas his coach lists off bins that Fields does not essentially verify.
In making an attempt to say nothing Tuesday, the Bears mentioned greater than sufficient.
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