Bears News: Justin Fields making 'big strides' as passer this offseason |
As the Chicago Bears look to bounce back from a tough season, quarterback Justin Fields is working hard to improve his passing game. After an impressive debut season in which he rushed for over 1,100 yards, Fields is now focusing on developing his skills as a passer.
According to head coach Matt Eberflus, Fields is making great strides in his passing game this offseason. "Obviously, the priority is the passing game," Eberflus said recently. "We ran the ball very well. But we all know that we've got to improve in the passing game. Part of that is the rhythm and timing. That's the footwork with Justin. "He's been really working on that, really good — in terms of the quick pass, drop-back pass, movement passes. And he's really made some big strides in that area, coming so far on his own, and now coming into the Phase II, that first week." While his rushing abilities were impressive last season, his passing game left room for improvement. Fields threw for 2,242 yards with 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. However, with his dedication to improving his game this offseason, Fields has the potential to become an NFL star. Eberflus is looking forward to seeing the new and improved receivers in action. "Looking forward to getting them together," Eberflus on the new pieces on offense. "Right now, we're doing routes on air and stuff in Phase II, so it's pretty cool to see those guys throw and catch together. But we'll see when we start playing against defenses and all that. But, you just add athletes, guys that can catch the ball well, that can create mismatch problems with Chase Claypool and Bobby Tonyan and D.J. and all those guys that we have." As the Bears look to rebound and compete for a playoff spot in the upcoming season, Fields' development as a passer will be crucial to their success.
