4. Justin Fields, Trade Candidate
Considering the fact that Sean Payton seemed to value a quarterback playing within the structure of his offense enough to bench Russell Wilson late last season, perhaps the idea of Justin Fields is just something we should mention in passing.
The Broncos had the chance to draft Justin Fields back in the 2021 season, but they opted to pass on him in favor of Pat Surtain II. Now, the Chicago Bears – who traded up to get Fields – face a huge decision of whether or not to keep Fields and continue building around him entering his fourth season, or move on and take Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The way things are going currently, it seems like the Bears will ultimately go with Caleb Williams, meaning Justin Fields could go to the highest bidder in a trade.
Would the Broncos be interested in potentially acquiring him? The talent is there with Fields. He’s a dynamic weapon offensively who has run all over opposing defenses despite his slower development as an NFL passer, but we saw him take maybe his biggest strides there in 2023 compared to any other point in his career so far.
It just doesn’t feel like this is the likely route for the Denver Broncos in 2024. Not with Russell Wilson getting benched at the end of the year in favor of a more traditional pocket passer. I think Sean Payton would value having a dynamic option at QB, but not someone who is as reliant on his running as Justin Fields.