By ANDREW SELIGMAN | AP Sports Writer
According to a source, the Chicago Bears have traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, as reported to The Associated Press.
As per another source familiar with the trade details, Chicago will receive a conditional 2025 pick, The Associated Press reported.
This trade indicates that the Bears are likely to choose a QB, possibly USC’s Caleb Williams, as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
The individuals who provided this information requested to remain anonymous as the teams have not yet announced the trade. NFL Network was the first to report the deal.
Justin Fields is expected to serve as the backup for nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers on Friday. Once Wilson was added, Pittsburgh also traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fields, who was drafted 11th overall in 2021 and struggled as a rookie under former coach Matt Nagy, did not progress as a passer as expected by the team in the past two years under coach Matt Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles, despite producing significant plays with his legs and arms.
Fields has only thrown for 200 yards or more in 13 out of 40 games and has just one 300-yard passing game in his career. Although he showcased some improvement in the pocket this season and threw for a career-high 2,562 yards, his passer rating ranked 22nd in the NFL at 86.3.
While Chicago could have received substantial returns by trading the No. 1 pick, the opportunity to draft a promising prospect like Williams, who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy, is rare for the historically quarterback-challenged Bears. Williams is widely expected to be the top overall pick after an impressive performance at USC and Oklahoma.
The trade involving Fields took place two days after the Bears acquired Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers in their second trade for a star receiver in as many years.
Last March, the Bears traded their No. 1 pick in 2023 to Carolina for DJ Moore. They also obtained the Panthers’ first-rounder for this year. With Carolina finishing with the worst 2-15 record, Chicago ended up with the No. 1 pick this year.
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