Exclusive; Justin Fields’ Former Bears Teammate Says Chicago ‘Didn’t Deserve’ QB
The response to Justin Fields’ trade has been varied, yet an ex-Bears defensive end opines that Fields could prosper outside of Chicago.
Trevis Gipson, who was selected by the Bears in the fifth round of 2020 NFL Draft, played three seasons with Chicago. During his time at Chicago, he also spent two years playing alongside Fields during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However,Gipson got cut from The Bears prior to their commencement of play for their games scheduled for that year (the beginning of the season) after which point he agreed on a one-year contract deal with Tennessee Titans.After joining Titan’s team last year ,he went on to appear in eight consecutive matches .
After news of the Fields trade was announced, Gipson – who’s currently a free agent- didn’t miss the chance to throw some shade at his former team. He shared his perspective on social media about what went down.
On X, he wrote that they didn’t deserve his bro. To be honest (tbh).
Gipson could still harbor some resentment towards his departure from Chicago. His performance of collecting 7 sacks in 16 games (with nine starts) for the Bears during the year 2021 decreased after a new regime was introduced to the team.
Under the leadership of general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears adopted a fresh 4-3 defensive approach as opposed to their prior linebacker-focused 3-4 strategy. Unfortunately for Gipson, his performance didn’t excel in this new system; in fact he only managed to accumulate 2 sacks throughout all of his appearances (including ten starts) for Chicago during the year 2022 with Eberflus at its helm.
Regarding Gipson, Poles expressed affection for the young player and his departure in August 2023. He explained that it was more about a matter of compatibility with the team’s strategy and style. Poles believed that Gipson excelled within a unique system, but he is excited to see how he will perform elsewhere in different circumstances.
“I wouldn’t say he fell short. As Ryan mentioned earlier, his best production came in a 3-4 scheme rather than a 4-3 while playing with us,” noted Ian Cunningham, the assistant GM of Bears.
“Due to his outstanding leadership qualities and dedication, he has contributed significantly towards our cause. It was important for us to ensure that the best possible outcome is achieved for him; hence, we arrived at this decision.”
Does Trevis Gipson’s Opinion on the Bears’ Treatment of QB Justin Fields Hold True?
Undoubtedly, the Bears let Fields down to some extent. As a rookie quarterback, he was led by an already struggling head coach (Matt Nagy) and surrounded by teammates who lacked any significant talent or ability to make plays.
After that season, Nagy was dismissed and Fields found himself on his second coach with a new offensive scheme for the second consecutive year – far from an ideal situation. To add to this challenge, Fields didn’t have much support in terms of an adequate offensive line during his first two seasons playing.
“Justin, thank you for the memories. Unfortunately, an organization caught in a struggle between competition and rebuilding couldn’t support you as they should have. In the end, they let you down,” expressed Sam Householder of Windy City Gridiron following Justin’s trade on X day.”
Although it’s true that in his first two seasons, Fields didn’t receive much help from Chicago, the situation was different in Year 3. Despite this change, the team did not observe substantial improvement as expected.
Josh Schrock from NBC Sports stated that the Bears were responsible for Justin Fields’ failure. Although he did not do enough to solidify his position as the team’s leading man, they failed him nonetheless. The opportunity is unique and promising for them with Caleb Williams who possesses incredible talent, lineage and potential – an opportunity that doesn’t present itself twice.
Poles has made significant moves to enhance Caleb Williams’ roster with the Bears set to draft him as their top pick. This includes acquiring wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in the past year, along with strengthening the offensive line; something that Fields did not have when he joined the league.
It is uncertain whether Williams will achieve success, but it’s undeniable that the Poles and Bears have done a superior job with building a roster to support him compared to what the previous administration had done for Fields.
