I’m not sure what to make of Justin Fields. The running ability is pretty cool. But on the other hand, he’s still Justin Fields.
They traded for DJ Moore. He’s supposed to help. And the receiving group could look like a strength if they also get something out of Chase Claypool. Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet are serviceable enough.
Fields averaged 95 rushing yards in his last 10 games last year, so maybe he’s this year’s Jalen Hurts.
But what is the deal with his pocket awareness? Or lack of it. He took 36 sacks in 10 games as a rookie. Then he came back last year and was even worse – 55 sacks, despite the team not passing all that much.
Fields was sacked on almost 15 percent of his pass plays last year, the worst by any quarterback since 1997. In the 32-team era, only 25 other quarterbacks have been sacked on more than 10 percent of their pass plays.
| SACKED ON OVER 10 PERCENT OF PASS PLAYS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | St | Yds | TD | Int | Sk | Sk% |
| 2022 | Justin Fields, Chi. | 15 | 2,242 | 17 | 11 | 55 | 14.7% |
| 2002 | David Carr, Hou. | 16 | 2,592 | 9 | 15 | 76 | 14.6% |
| 2005 | David Carr, Hou. | 16 | 2,488 | 14 | 11 | 68 | 13.8% |
| 2004 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 15 | 2,313 | 14 | 12 | 46 | 12.5% |
| 2004 | Kurt Warner, NYG | 9 | 2,054 | 6 | 4 | 39 | 12.3% |
| 2002 | Chad Hutchinson, Dall. | 9 | 1,555 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 12.0% |
| 2009 | JaMarcus Russell, Oak. | 9 | 1,287 | 3 | 11 | 33 | 11.8% |
| 2021 | Justin Fields, Chi. | 10 | 1,870 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 11.8% |
| 2018 | Ryan Tannehill, Mia. | 11 | 1,979 | 17 | 9 | 35 | 11.3% |
| 2018 | Marcus Mariota, Ten. | 13 | 2,528 | 11 | 8 | 42 | 11.3% |
| 2018 | Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 16 | 4,165 | 26 | 9 | 62 | 10.9% |
| 2011 | Tim Tebow, Den. | 11 | 1,729 | 12 | 6 | 33 | 10.9% |
| 2010 | Jay Cutler, Chi. | 15 | 3,274 | 23 | 16 | 52 | 10.7% |
| 2005 | Brooks Bollinger, NYJ | 9 | 1,558 | 7 | 6 | 32 | 10.7% |
| 2018 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 3,448 | 35 | 7 | 51 | 10.7% |
| 2011 | Kevin Kolb, Ari. | 9 | 1,955 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 10.6% |
| 2007 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 15 | 3,154 | 32 | 11 | 47 | 10.4% |
| 2006 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 16 | 2,474 | 20 | 13 | 45 | 10.4% |
| 2014 | Blake Bortles, Jac. | 13 | 2,908 | 11 | 17 | 55 | 10.4% |
| 2021 | Zach Wilson, NYJ | 13 | 2,334 | 9 | 11 | 44 | 10.3% |
| 2018 | Josh Rosen, Ari. | 13 | 2,278 | 11 | 14 | 45 | 10.3% |
| 2020 | Carson Wentz, Phil. | 12 | 2,620 | 16 | 15 | 50 | 10.3% |
| 2013 | Terrelle Pryor, Oak. | 9 | 1,798 | 7 | 11 | 31 | 10.2% |
| 2022 | Russell Wilson, Den. | 15 | 3,524 | 16 | 11 | 55 | 10.2% |
| 2004 | Tim Rattay, S.F. | 9 | 2,169 | 10 | 10 | 37 | 10.2% |
| 2013 | Christian Ponder, Min. | 9 | 1,648 | 7 | 9 | 27 | 10.2% |
| 2006 | Charlie Frye, Cle. | 13 | 2,454 | 10 | 17 | 44 | 10.1% |
Defenders of Fields will try to pin the ball on Chicago’s offensive line, and admittedly it doesn’t look great. But when other quarterbacks have operated that offense the last two years (playing behind the same line), they’ve been sacked about half as often.
And Fields also took tons of sacks at Ohio State, where most weeks he was playing on a team with considerably better personnel. He’s got problems with protection, and I’m not assuming that will be fixed until I see some on-field evidence.
| SACK FREQUENCY (last 2 yrs) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Sack | Pct |
| Tom Brady, T.B. | 1452 | 44 | 2.9% |
| Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | 1306 | 54 | 4.0% |
| Mike White, NYJ | 307 | 13 | 4.1% |
| Josh Allen, Buff. | 1213 | 59 | 4.6% |
| Trevor Lawrence, Jac. | 1186 | 59 | 4.7% |
| Justin Herbert, LAC | 1371 | 69 | 4.8% |
| Dak Prescott, Dall. | 990 | 50 | 4.8% |
| Tua Tagovailoa, Mia. | 788 | 41 | 4.9% |
| Jared Goff, Det. | 1081 | 58 | 5.1% |
| Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 1073 | 62 | 5.5% |
| Derek Carr, L.V. | 1128 | 67 | 5.6% |
| Kirk Cousins, Min. | 1204 | 74 | 5.8% |
| Jimmy Garoppolo, S.F. | 749 | 47 | 5.9% |
| Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 605 | 38 | 5.9% |
| Kyler Murray, Ariz. | 871 | 56 | 6.0% |
| Mac Jones, N.E. | 963 | 62 | 6.0% |
| Matthew Stafford, LAR | 904 | 59 | 6.1% |
| Kenny Pickett, Pitt. | 389 | 27 | 6.5% |
| Andy Dalton, Chi.-Ind. | 614 | 43 | 6.5% |
| Davis Mills, Hou. | 873 | 62 | 6.6% |
| Jalen Hurts, Phil. | 892 | 64 | 6.7% |
| Jacoby Brissett, Ind.-Cle. | 594 | 43 | 6.8% |
| Carson Wentz, Ind.-Was. | 792 | 58 | 6.8% |
| Teddy Bridgewater, Den.-Mia. | 505 | 38 | 7.0% |
| Taylor Heinicke, Was. | 753 | 57 | 7.0% |
| other Bears QBs | 330 | 25 | 7.0% |
| Matt Ryan, Atl.-Ind. | 1021 | 78 | 7.1% |
| Daniel Jones, NYG | 833 | 66 | 7.3% |
| Joe Burrow, Cin. | 1126 | 92 | 7.6% |
| Sam Darnold, Car. | 546 | 45 | 7.6% |
| Tyler Huntley, Balt. | 300 | 25 | 7.7% |
| Geno Smith, Sea. | 667 | 59 | 8.1% |
| Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 708 | 64 | 8.3% |
| Marcus Mariota, L.V.-Atl. | 302 | 28 | 8.5% |
| Ryan Tannehill, Ten. | 856 | 80 | 8.5% |
| Russell Wilson, Sea.-Den. | 883 | 88 | 9.1% |
| Baker Mayfield, 3 tms | 753 | 79 | 9.5% |
| Zach Wilson, NYJ | 625 | 67 | 9.7% |
| Justin Fields, Chi. | 588 | 91 | 13.4% |
—Ian Allan