The Bears’ unfortunate “QB1” tweet is still accurate – for now.
Chicago got their first look at top draft pick Justin Fields during their rookie mini-camp this weekend, and he reportedly impressed during the three-day set of practices. That said, Bears coach Matt Nagy is still insisting that free-agent signing Andy Dalton will be their guy come Week 1.
“Andy is the starter,” Nagy told reporters after the camp’s conclusion. “Andy’s going to get the one reps.”
It will certainly be viewed by the fan base, which was none too pleased by Dalton’s signing in March, as an underwhelming admission. The team has been marred in quarterback mediocrity for the better part of a century, and after cutting ties with another failed QB prospect this offseason in Mitch Trubisky, the decision to sign the 33-year-old was met with some warranted skepticism.
Then, the Bears traded up to the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select the Ohio State product, which completely re-ignited the fan base. Fields was on the, er, field for the first time this weekend, and Adam Hoge of NBC Sports Chicago reported that his debut couldn’t be called “anything other than a success.”
Andy Dalton (left) is still the Bears’ QB1 despite drafting Justin Fields. Getty Images“He was accurate (I only saw one pass I would call poor) and showed absolutely zero issues taking snaps from center,” Hoge tweeted. “Like a Pro Day, it looked like it should — very good.”
Despite that, however, Nagy is still planning on giving Dalton the first-team reps during training camp. We’ll see how long that lasts, and if fans show up to training camp with picket signs.
