Justin Fields’ breakthrough must come soon, and Bears could help him by providing sturdy defense

Fields completed 4 of 7 passes for 48 yards in 18 snaps against the Chiefs in a preseason game Saturday.It might seem early to be ramping up the pressure on quarterback Justin Fields to prove he belongs in the Bears’ future plans, but that type of thinking is outdated.

The old framework of a quarterback needing at least three seasons to develop doesn’t apply anymore, and stars like Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson shredded defenses as rookies.

In Fields’ case, the expectations on his timeline have also been accelerated by the change in administration at Halas Hall. General manager Ryan Poles wasn’t the one who traded up to take him No. 11 overall last year, but he is the one…