Bears rookie Justin Fields will start at quarterback Saturday for the Bears’ final preseason game against the Titans — but he won’t be the Week 1 starter.
Rather, the Bears plan to simply rest most of their veteran starters Saturday — including Dalton, who will be the starter Week 1 against the Rams.
Fields will play the first half Saturday, coach Matt Nagy said Tuesday. Nick Foles will play the second half.
“We just want to see him play hard, play well,” Nagy said. “The variables are different. He’s not out there — just like Andy hasn’t been out here with some of those one receivers. So, all I want to see from him is just play a good game of football at the quarterback position and again keep the big picture in mind for all of us.”
The big picture remains what it’s been all camp. Nagy has maintained the veteran Dalton would begin the season as the Bears’ starter, regardless of Fields’ play in the preseason. Fields outplayed Dalton in the first preseason game against the Dolphins, though neither ere sharp in the second exhibition against the Bills. Nagy has said that Fields’ development is ahead of schedule for a rookie.
Fields will be protected by starters, at least; the Bears plan to have the first-team offensive line — including tackles Jason Peters and Germain Ifedi, who have yet to play in a game this preseason — work with him in the first half. The skill position players figure to sit.
The Bears traded up to draft Fields out of Ohio State less than two months after signing Dalton to a one-year, $10.5 million contract. Nagy said he will use his “gut” to determine when Fields might be ready — though it sounds as though it will be more of a referendum on Dalton’s play than that of the rookie.
“Again, it all comes down to the ‘whys’ — it all does,” Nagy said. “It’s a feel thing.”
