So far, the Chicago Bears’ plan to keep Justin Fields on the sideline is working. Starter Andy Dalton looks like he’s ready to keep the job for a while.
Chicago Bears fans are excited to see rookie quarterback Justin FIelds take the field. They keep tabs on everything he does or says. They view him as the franchise quarterback they’ve wanted for so long. Despite the team’s plan to keep him on the bench as long as possible before finally handing him the keys to the franchise, the fans want him to drive the Ferrari as soon as possible.
The Bears’ plan to have Andy Dalton start for as long as possible is going well so far. Yes, we are still in the early stages of training camp. However, it will take a lot for Fields to end up as the starter in Week 1. Nothing that we’ve seen so far supports that. Dalton needs to completely fall apart for Fields to take over so soon.
That doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon. Dalton is impressing the coaches with his handling of the offense. He’s making every throw and looks very comfortable.
As I mentioned, it’s still early. Today, they have their first practice in full pads. Next week, they get to practice against another team. The Bears and the Miami Dolphins will have joint practices ahead of their August 14th preseason game. We’ll get a better idea of how good he is in this system then. For now, however, Dalton feels good.
I’m very comfortable with what we are doing. I think that’s just from being in the system and studying the book and making sure everybody is on the same page. I’ve been a part of so many different systems that there are not many plays that are new to me. So I’m very confident with what we have and what we’ve got going. Now it’s about building that chemistry during camp and being ready for Week 1.
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While people expect Nagy to be filled with compliments for his QB1, this situation feels a bit different. He hurled compliments at Mitchell Trubisky as well, but there were also times he looked uncomfortable and concerned about his inconsistencies. Those concerns turned out to be valid, as Trubisky had consistency problems throughout his tenure in Chicago.
Chicago Bears fans also have nightmares about the last time the Bears were in a situation like this. The plan for rookie Trubisky in 2017 was to have him sit behind Mike Glennon until he was ready to step in. That didn’t happen, though. Glennon was so terrible in the first four weeks of the season that the Bears had no choice but to bring in Trubisky.
Now the Bears are in this situation again. They feel different about this plan, however. Dalton is a more established quarterback than Glennon. He’s been around for a long time and understands what defenses try to do. No, he isn’t an elite quarterback, but he is a professional and good enough to have some success. He’ll be a great bridge quarterback for Fields. Additionally, he has a history with offensive coordinator Bill Lazor when both were with the Cincinnati Bengals. The comfort level between the coach and quarterback will have a great impact on how Dalton plays. There is trust between the two.
Dalton will surprise a lot of people. He’ll play well enough to keep Fields on the sidelines. The rookie will have plenty of time to get ready to step in. Despite the fans already clamoring for Fields, the youngster understands the plan and is behind it. He knows what they want but he preaches patience.
Of course, there’s a lot of people that are anxious to see me play. But I think I said it in my last interview: greatness doesn’t happen overnight.
The Justin Fields era is coming, but Dalton wants to make sure the start is delayed for some time.