In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears traded up to take Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick. Fields became the full-time starter last season and was a dual-threat QB. The Bears have been an NFL franchise for over 100 years, but have never had a QB throw for 4,000 yards in a season.
Recently, Justin Fields was on CBS Sports’ All Things Covered podcast. He was asked if he is going to be the one to set that record for the Bears. Fields waited no time and say that he was going to set that record in the 2023 season. That’s a huge goal for a young QB who’s still developing as a passer.
Is Justin Fields capable of throwing for 4,000 yards in a single season for the Bears?
The @ChicagoBears have NEVER had a passer throw for 4,000 yards in a single season.
Justin Fields says that is going to change… THIS season.@atcoveredpod pic.twitter.com/89zAFmxEdF
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) July 20, 2023
Last season, Fields passed for 2,242 yards in 15 games started and played. He barely has 4,000 passing yards for his career at 4,112. The former Ohio State QB would have to take a massive jump in year three to be able to eclipse 4,000 yards in 2023.
Chicago’s offensive game plan was not built around passing the ball in 2022. The team used Fields’ running abilities as a primary weapon on offense. With 1,143 rushing yards last season, Fields became the 33rd Bears player to rush for 1,000 yards. However, he’s the franchise’s first QB to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Justin Fields year 3 loading… 🚀
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/pH89WiZpfE
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 13, 2023
In a 17-game regular season, Fields would need to average 235.3 passings yards per game to reach 4,000. During his 27 games at QB in the NFL, the former first-round pick averages 152.3 passing yards per game. Fields had one game last season where he had at least 235 passing yards.
The Bears were lacking a true WR1 for Fields to target last season. That’s why Chicago went out and traded for former Panthers WR DJ Moore. From 2019-2021, Moore had three straight seasons where he had 1,000+ receiving yards. Passing for 4,000 yards is a tall task for Fields next season, but it’s certainly something he could achieve in his NFL career. He’ll be 24 years old during the 2023 season.
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