Is Justin Fields playing today? Bears QB’s status explored for Week 11

Justin Fields started the first six games of the 2023 NFL season for the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately for their dynamic dual-threat quarterback, he suffered a thumb injury on his throwing hand in a Week 6 game against the Minnesota Vikings. The devastating injury has forced him to miss the past four weeks.

Week 11 will offer Fields his next opportunity to get back onto the football field when the Bears face off against the Detroit Lions. It appears that he will be able to do so as he recently shed his official injury designation and is listed as their starting quarterback again.

Justin Fields injury update

Justin Fields

Leading up to the Chicago Bears' Week 10 game against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football, Fields was considered questionable to make his return to the lineup. He was ultimately unable to do so and Tyson Bagent continued to fill in as their starting quarterback.

Fields opened Week 11 as questionable once again as he continues to recover from his thumb injury on his throwing hand. According to some of the most recent reports, he is no longer questionable and is expected to make his return against the Detroit Lions.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, via his personal X account:

"The Bears have taken QB Justin Fields off the injury report and he'll play on Sunday."

Bagent is expected to return to his role of serving as the primary backup for Fields against the Lions. This is encouraging news for Fields, who could be playing for his future as we close out the 2023 NFL season.

Justin Fields' future as Bears QB could be in jeopardy

The Chicago Bears have seven games remaining in the 2023 NFL season to evaluate their roster before the offseason. One of the biggest questions they need to answer relates to whether or not Justin Fields will remain their future franchise quarterback. His potential contract extension is quickly approaching, and the Bears' outlook for the 2024 NFL draft could impact their decision.

While Tyson Bagent isn't expected to challenge Fields for the permanent starting job, one of the quarterbacks in the upcoming draft class, such as Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, could. The Bears are currently in an excellent position to potentially select one of the top quarterback prospects in what is considered an elite draft class for the position.

Further improving the Bears' chances of landing one of them is that they own the Carolina Panthers' first-round pick as well as their own. This means that they enter Week 11 with two of the top-five picks in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

If Fields wants to secure his position as their franchise quarterback, he will not only need to play for the final seven games but will likely need to be impressive in doing so.