The importance is not this year

By the end of this year they either have to give him a big extension or exercise his 5th year for $25 million. That’s a big decision and if they don’t think he is their future qb it’s probably better to go with someone else and have the 4 years of a rookie deal to build around him and decide if the next guy is worth the big money after year 4.

Of course this assumes Chicago can build around him using free agency money as opposed to improving the team for Fields with draft capital from trading the #1 pick. But I assume the bears feel comfortable that fields is not the answer. The fact they only got a conditional 6th rounder shows that the league agrees.

I look at the decision as pretty telling on the bears belief in Fields as much as it is on the belief in Caleb.

Not to mention it gives the GM more job security in theory as well. Hey we need a few years to build around Caleb and to nurture his abilities.