Justin Fields Trade Rumors: Eagles Checked in on Bears QB Before Kenny Pickett Deal

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Before the Philadelphia Eagles acquired quarterback Kenny Pickett from the Pittsburgh Steelers, it appears they checked in on another signal-caller that has been made available leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported Friday on SportsCenter that the Eagles had discussions with the Chicago Bears about a deal for Justin Fields prior to landing Pickett.

“The Eagles, from what I understand talking to sources around the league, were one of the teams that had talked to the Bears about Justin Fields, but obviously could not get to the point where they agreed on a price, so they traded for Pickett,” Graziano said

The Eagles would have been an intriguing destination for Fields, who would have been given the opportunity to learn from two-time Pro Bowler Jalen Hurts as his backup.

While Hurts is the better quarterback, the two play a similar style, which means Fields could have seamlessly, for lack of a better word, stepped into Philadelphia’s offense if Hurts were to suffer an injury.

The Eagles acquired Pickett and a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 120) from the Steelers on Friday in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98) and two 2025 seventh-round picks.

Pittsburgh decided to trade Pickett because he “was poorly handling” the arrival of veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers earlier this week after being released by the Denver Broncos, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Fields’ future in Chicago has been arguably the hottest topic of the offseason as the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in this spring’s draft and are expected to select USC quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.

But while the Bears have been searching for a trade partner for Fields, several quarterback-needy teams have already addressed their need at the position. For example, the Steelers signed Wilson and the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins.

At this point, the market for Fields is “extremely lukewarm,” Graziano said, so it’s unclear when he might be moved.

With Philadelphia off the board as a destination, perhaps the Steelers, who now need a backup for Wilson, will check in on Fields. The Minnesota Vikings, which recently signed Sam Darnold, could also perhaps be a destination.