Justin Fields addresses Falcons trade rumors

Fields is a native of Kennesaw, Georgia, which is outside of Atlanta.
Dec 24, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) greets fans after
Dec 24, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) greets fans after / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
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Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has heard the chatter. He knows there's a good chance that the Bears select a quarterback with the top pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. He also knows if that happens, he's likely to be traded, and the Atlanta Falcons are a team he has been linked to.

Fields was recently asked about the possibility of heading home (Fields is from Kennesaw, Georgia) to play for the Falcons. In his response he touched on a potential downside of returning home to play, while also praising Atlanta's roster.

"Atlanta would be tough," Fields said. "The only con of going back home is just people hitting my phone like crazy, wanting tickets to the game.

"I think they got a lot of playmakers on the team," he added. "Bijan [Robinson], my boy Kyle [Pitts], and of course Drake [London]. They probably need one more receiver, but they definitely got some guys over there. Their defense was good this year too."

Fields could be a legitimate target for Atlanta, as Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot recently confirmed that solidifying the quarterback spot is a main priority for the organization over the offseason.

"That's a top priority for us this offseason, and it's exciting," Fontenot said. "Again, not only people that have been in the building, but people outside of the building from Raheem (Morris) and (offensive coordinator) Zac (Robinson), (QBs coach) T.J. Yates, (assistant coach) Ken Zampese, (assistant QBs coach) DJ Williams -- we have a lot of really smart people in the building.

"We're going to spend a lot of time together, make sure we attack that the right way," he added. "We're not going to close any doors, be it trades, free agency, the draft. We will make sure we keep an open mind there and we're going to attack it and make sure we get it right."

As the old proverb goes, where there's smoke, there's fire, and there's certainly a whole lot of smoke surrounding the idea of Fields potentially joining the Falcons. It will be very interesting to see if that smoke continues to build, or if it ultimately just blows away.