Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The Bears reportedly outbid the Vikings to trade up and land franchise savior Justin Fields.
The Chicago Bears made arguably one of the most important decisions in franchise history by trading up to select quarterback Justin Fields. The team jumped from No. 20 to No. 11 overall and got their guy.
It turns out the Bears weren’t the only team interested in that pick. The Minnesota Vikings were also reportedly trying to move up with the New York Giants to land that No. 11 pick. However, different reports detail different intentions in Minnesota.
Bears outbid Vikings to land Justin Fields
An article on NBC Sports Chicago shared a quote from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio in which he said the Vikings could have taken Fields at No. 14 overall if he was still on the board.
Then there is The Athletic’s Chad Graff, who said the Vikings were interested in moving up to No. 11 to draft offensive tackle Rashawn Slater. He ended up going to the Los Angeles Chargers with pick No. 13 overall.
An early run on defensive backs caused the Dallas Cowboys to swap picks with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles took receiver DeVonta Smith, which then had the Giants open to trading back. That then allowed the Bears to move up and take Fields. The Vikings ultimately ended up with offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw.
The alternate realities are endless when it comes to the NFL Draft. Plenty of other teams could have also taken Fields, which may have left the Bears to be a total disaster in 2021. If Fields does end up being a star, Vikings fans may wonder why the team wasn’t more aggressive to add him.
The Bears are entering a new era while Kirk Cousins continues to be the guy in Minnesota. How this plays out will be talked about for years to come.