Bears coach Matt Nagy plans to send rookie quarterback Justin Fields into the game early Saturday against the Dolphins and play extensively — possibly even into the fourth quarter.
The anticipation for Fields’ debut, even in a preseason game, has been pulsing since the Bears traded up to draft him No. 11 overall and positioned him as the future of the franchise. Everyone will get the long look they’ve been wanting.
That includes Nagy, who is prioritizing the opportunity to get Fields experience and evaluate his progress instead of being overly cautious about him getting hurt in a preseason game.
Andy Dalton will start, but could exit after as few as three plays. He and Nagy have both said he is ready to launch into the season, which starts in one month against the Rams. Fields is scheduled to take over then and stay in past halftime, at a minimum, before the Bears let third-stringer Nick Foles finish.
Nagy would prefer to keep some first-team skill players in for Fields’ snaps, and that group would likely include wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Cole Kmet. No. 1 receiver Allen Robinson has been working through a hamstring issue this week, and it’s hard to envision him playing much or at all.