Tag Archives: Luke Getsy

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Justin Fields Issues Telling Statement on Bears’ Offense

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At this time last year, the Chicago Bears and quarterback Justin Fields were getting ready to install what were the bones of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme.

While they produced exciting results at times, it did not always look pretty or help them win.

“I can tell the guys who were in the offense last year are way more comfortable this year with the playbook,” Fields told Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com, “and focusing on the defense rather than just the little stuff with the offense because they know it, they know the foundation of it.”

Bears ‘Way More Comfortable’ in Luke Getsy’s Offense

Justin Fields Has Weapons Now

Fields is understandably excited by the addition of D.J. Moore to the wide receiver room following the latter’s trade from the Carolina Panthers. It was a deal that saw the Bears drop out of the No. 1 overall pick.

However, his comments could also bode well for 2022 trade deadline acquisition, Chase Claypool.

Chicago sent the Pittsburgh Steelers what turned into the No. 32 overall pick for the 24-year-old.

He caught just 14 of his 29 targets for 140 yards in seven games (three starts) with the Bears. It was not what they envisioned from the former No. 49 overall pick (2020) even before knowing where the pick would fall. His catch-rate tends to be on the lower side more than some wideouts due to the type of routes he runs. But Claypool still posted the worst catch rate of his career in Chicago.

Claypool was open about his frustrations with things not working last season and even had to be calmed down by Fields at one point.

But he stands to benefit more than anyone other than Fields from Moore’s arrival.

Bears Getting Offense in Order

Just as Moore has stolen the headlines, he should likewise take away the attention of the opposing defense.

Moore fell short of his fourth consecutive 1000-yard campaign and has never finished a season with fewer than the 788 yards he posted in his rookie season. A former first-round pick, Moore was selected No. 24 overall in 2018.

“I’ve known DJ for a little bit now,” Fields said, per Mayer. “I can tell he loves the game, he’s a hard worker and, of course, he’s talented. He’s proven that over the past few years playing with the Panthers. So, it’s great to have him; another weapon to add to our offense. He’s going to bring a lot of energy, a lot of leadership to the room. Everybody’s excited to have him, so it’s going to be fun.”

Bears GM Sends Strong Message on Plans to Fix Glaring Roster Flaw

Moore’s presence should have a similar effect on incumbent top option Darnell Mooney.

Mooney is still recovering from ankle surgery that cut his season short after 12 games. But he is just one year removed from his first 1000-yard season.

Bears Coaches Brag on Justin Fields’ Progress

In the sense that he makes everything go, the things coming out of Halas Hall about Fields may seem like standard-issue lip service during the offseason. But the Bears coaches have always taken a measured approach when discussing where Fields was in the process.

Now, Getsy sounds as confident in Fields as Fields does in the things that are now around him.

“I think the growth from…where he was at this time last year to where he is now – I think it just is light years ahead of where it was,” Getsy said on May 6 via the team’s YouTube channel. “And we feel like he has a ton more to grow going forward. So we’re excited to try to get the best out of them moving forward and keep working to where we think he can go.”

With the sixth-easiest strength of schedule this coming season, per Sharp Football Analysis, the Bears and Fields are indeed set up to outperform their abysmal (on the whole) 2022 season.

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Bears Coaches Deliver Encouraging Message About Justin Fields

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Last season, Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields finished with the fourth-highest time-to-throw on average, per NFL NextGen Stats.

This season, expect that number to come down quite a bit.

“Just the rhythm and timing…of the passing game,” head coach Matt Eberflus said after the first day of rookie minicamp on May 5 via the Bears’ YouTube channel. “Obviously the priority’s the passing game. We ran the ball very well but we all know that we got to improve in the passing game. And part of that’s rhythm and timing that’s the footwork with Justin. He’s been really working on that really, really good in terms of the quick pass, dropback pass, movement passes. And he’s really made some big strides in that in that area coming so far on his own and then now coming into Phase II. That first week is really – that’s about it.”

Bears’ Justin Fields ‘Light Years’ Ahead of Last Season

Fields’ time-to-throw was only lower than benched New York Jets first-round pick Zach Wilson, former Jets and Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold who is now with the San Francisco 49ers, and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns who made his return to pro football after sitting out the entire 2021 season with legal trouble.

The rest of the bottom 10 was filled out by Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, Washington Commanders passer Taylor Heinicke, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett, and former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson is also in that group. His time was only slightly better than Fields. But he remains the outlier, not the baseline.

Put simply, the Bears need Fields to get rid of the ball faster.

“I think the growth from…where he was at this time last year to where he is now – I think it just is light years ahead of where it was,” Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said on May 6 via the team’s YouTube channel. “And we feel like he has a ton more to grow going forward. So we’re excited to try to get the best out of them moving forward and keep working to where we think he can go.”

Bears Built Out the Roster

Part of that is on Fields. But the Bears also had to do a better job of putting talent around him. They feel they have done that. They addressed the offensive line in free agency with Nate Davis sliding in at right guard and then drafting Darnell Wright. He will presumably lock down right tackle.

Sliding Teven Jenkins to right guard while moving Cody Whitehair to center should elevate the level of play at both positions relative to last season.

It was not just protection – Fields could also find himself with a clean pocket and nowhere to go.

“Obviously acquiring the athletes that we have you know with D.J. Moore and [Robert Tonyan] and the different guys that we’re going to acquire, we’re certainly enthused about those guys adding that talent piece to our offense.”

Count Chase Claypool in that as well. He arrived mid-season and had to learn a new playbook on the fly. The Bears trading out of the No. 1 overall pick and getting back Moore in the process was a clear show of faith in the progress Fields showed. And of where they think he can go.

Bears Have Faith in Justin Fields, Process

Still, the Bears’ offense was historically bad last season. It would be difficult to put all of that on one person, even one as important as the quarterback. Or even a couple of new players for that matter.

That’s why they are taking the big-picture approach.

Bears DC Sets Record Straight on Roster, Name-Drops Veteran

“It goes to everything,” Getsy said. “Getting the team around him better, and us all being together for another year, and the continuity that we have, and the communication that he and I have. Where we were kind of at the beginning of the season to the end of the season, I think, is a lot better. And so we’re hoping to build off of all that stuff. I think anytime you can be together with somebody and keep that consistency, there’s going to be growth. And he has a lot more growth ahead of him and we’re excited to tap into that.”

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Justin Fields Reacts to Bears Selecting Darnell Wright No. 10 Overall

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And just like that, the Chicago Bears finished their facelift of the offensive line, taking Tennesee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They had the No. 9 overall pick. But general manager Ryan Poles flipped it to the Philadelphia Eagles for No. 10 and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

Philadelphia took Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, whom many had mocked to the Bears if he was available when they came up on the clock. Instead, they took the 6-foot-5, 333-pound Wright, the consensus top-rated right tackle in this class. And, for what it’s worth, quarterback Justin Fields certainly seems to be on board with the pick.

Bears’ Rookie Darnell Wright: Protecting Justin Fields ‘My Only Plan’

Given his plug-and-playability, Wright figures to round out a remade Bears offensive line that will feature Cody Whitehair back at guard and 2022’s starting right guard Teven Jenkins shift over to the left side as Nate Davis replaces him.

Asked about the responsibility of protecting Fields who led the league in sacks taken last season, Wright was very matter-of-fact in his response.

“That’s my only plan.,” Wright said in his first press conference via Zoom. “That’s what I’m there for…to keep him clean,” he said. “Amazing, amazing quarterback. And the things he does, we’re going to have a great team….protecting him, that’s my job.”

Wright also spoke on his relationship with Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and offensive line coach Chris Morgan.

Darnell Wright Sounds Off on OC Luke Getsy

“I was at the Senior Bowl and Luke was…a part of it,” Wright remarked. “And it’s funny, he’s the offensive coordinator of the Bears. It’s like a full-circle moment a little bit. It’s crazy. It means a lot that I already have a relationship a little bit with that guy.”

Wright, a four-year starter in college, was voted the American team’s offensive line practice player of the week during his time down in Mobile.

“Bears GM Ryan Poles values size/length on the OL,” tweeted Albert Breer of The Monday Morning QB. “Passing on Peter Skoronski = surprising. But going w/Darnell Wright fits his history/background.”

It’s not just his work on the practice field, either.

Wright has been described as a plug-and-play option at right tackle where the Bears tried to get by with a combination of Larry Borom and Riley Reiff last season.

Wright revealed that he had a top-30 workout with the Bears but he also had a private workout with Morgan.

“Coach C-Mo, I knew he liked me a lot. I knew Poles liked me a lot. And you never know. You can try to say, ‘I think they’re going to pick me’. But, then again, Coach C-Mo, we just actually got off the phone. And he was saying, ‘Man, it was so hard not to just call you and tell you…we were going to pick you’.”

Morgans’ affinity didn’t stop him from putting Wright “through the wringer” in their private workout.

“They brought me in and he also came and he worked me out. He kicked my a***, I’m just going to be honest. He wanted to see what I was made of. It was hard but I didn’t quit,” he said detailing the frenetic pace of the workout. “I think he respected that.

“He just wanted to see if I would quit, and I just wouldn’t quit. …They’ll definitely see what you’re made of a little bit in that little session.”

So what did the Bears see that fans hope to next season?

Darnell Wright Points to His Tape

Wright compared the NFL Draft Combine process to speed dating and said that when the Bears gave him the choice between put-put golf and darts, he chose the latter.

But he’s more than content to point to his tape when asked about the type of player he is.

“You see on tape, I’m big and I’m strong. But I don’t think people realize, once they really get to see some more of me, they’ll see how athletic I am. I can play on both sides if needed…I can play probably anywhere on the line. My athleticism will speak for itself, and I just want to get better and better with my technique.”

“We talked about [what he can do better], I’m not going to tell you everything we talked about. But we talked about a lot of stuff. There’s a lot of stuff that I need to work on, and there’s a lot of stuff that I do really well. And I think it’s rare that you get to go somewhere that you really get to get coached by somebody that you really like, that you feel like could really take your game to the next level. And that’s what I feel like C-Mo can do for me…Coach C-Mo is going to be perfect for me.”

Wright said that Morgan told him that it would be hard but that he “never shies away from hard”.