Evidence that Extra Practice with Justin Fields Boosts Bears Receivers' Performance
The annual minicamp at Halas Hall always concludes with an eager press corps querying the starting quarterback about his offseason plans, specifically his intention to hone timing with his receivers. Ever since the days of Jay Cutler, this question has been asked routinely. Both Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields undertook such extra sessions, with Fields already involved this year.
So, is there really much significance in these informal summer tosses between a quarterback and his receivers? Can these off-season workouts make a discernable difference when training camp rolls around or even when the regular season kicks off?
An interesting case study might help clarify this. Conor Orr from Sports Illustrated has meticulously detailed the 2022 off-season approach of Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, an off-season that eventually led to a Super Bowl triumph. Mahomes, needing to establish a rapport with new receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Justin Watson after the departure of Tyreek Hill, organized extensive workouts, as described by Orr and colleague Albert Breer.
So how does this narrative connect to the Chicago Bears?
Justin Fields has acknowledged making efforts to organize additional sessions outside Halas Hall with his receivers. He and other players based in Chicago have come together for practice, as showcased on social media, with Fields spotted practicing alongside Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet, and DJ Moore at Maine South High School. Earlier in the off-season, he was seen working out with Khalil Herbert and Velus Jones Jr.
Granted, these might not be as comprehensive as Mahomes' organized sessions, but it is certainly a start. Mahomes is not the first to use this strategy; in the summer of 2020, Tom Brady took the reins during the off-season to familiarize himself with his new offensive teammates and system, a move that ultimately led to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Super Bowl victory.
| POLL | ||
9 JUILLET | 75 ANSWERS Evidence that Extra Practice with Justin Fields Boosts Bears Receivers' Performance Will Justin Fields win a Super Bowl? | ||
| Yes | 55 | 73.3 % |
| No | 20 | 26.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
