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George Walker IV-USA TODAY Sports

Controversial Take: Taylor Lewan Chooses Underperforming Bryce Young Over Justin Fields

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Ron Luce | Last updated 11/27/23

Entering the 2023 NFL Draft, the hot topic of conversation surrounded the Chicago Bears and the No. 1 overall pick. Before Ryan Poles traded the pick to the Carolina Panthers in a massive deal that landed DJ Moore, there was plenty of speculation surrounding the idea of the Bears taking a quarterback.

Although Justin Fields was already in the fold and coming off a 2022 season in which he showed growth, many believed Poles would move on from Fields and select "his guy" in the draft. Instead, he traded the pick and the rest is history.

The narrative was put to bed after the trade, but plenty of storylines have resurfaced some of the discussion. On Monday, Panthers' owner David Tepper personally fired head coach Frank Reich after Carolina's 1-10 start to the 2023 campaign. Reich was hired prior to the start of the season and only lasted 11 games. Despite Reich serving as the scapegoat, many on X have pointed at the quarterback selection of Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud as a leading reason for the Panthers' horrendous start.

Despite the blame for the Panthers' ill will being placed on Tepper, the Young/Fields debate managed to rear its head on Monday. On Kay Adams' show '"Up & Adams," Taylor Lewan appeared as a guest on Monday. Lewan played offensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans before signing on with Barstool Sports' "Bussin' With The Boys." Now, the podcast host is all over the NFL world as he and co-host Will Compton share their NFL experiences.

On Adams' Monday show, she asked Lewan which quarterback would he rather have on a new team, Bryce Young or Justin Fields? Lewan's answer? Young.

Lewan notes Fields' injuries as one reason, and his "I'm going to do me" supposed narrative as another reason. He chose Young for his youth and the "fresh start" that it provides.

Upon digesting these comments, picking Young over Fields feels a bit ridiculous. Young has been so bad that David Tepper needed to use Frank Reich as his personal scapegoat because he wanted Young over a number of coaches who wanted Stroud. In addition, the bit about Fields "playing the way he wants to" was taken out of context, as Chicago fans know Fields meant he needs to use his athleticism to avoid the robotic performances we saw early on this year.

Overall, it's a ridiculous take from Lewan. Wanting a quarterback who's completing 61.7% of his passes and averaging just 187.7 yards per game is a bold statement when considering the high-upside potential that Fields brings to the field. Sure, Young's rookie season could be just growing pains in the long term, but he has yet to show any flashes to convince observers that he'll be some superstar in the same vein as what Stroud is starting to represent.

Nevertheless, Fields has a chance to show Lewan why he's wrong on Monday Night Football as the Bears visit the Minnesota Vikings for a Week 12 NFC North showdown.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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