Bears head coach Matt Nagy said on Wednesday that the plan for Week 18 was for rookie quarterback Justin Fields to get the start against the Vikings, but that plan is going to have to change.
The ankle injury that kept Fields out of the lineup the last two weeks is not the reason for the change. Fields was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on Thursday and it is unlikely that he’ll be cleared to return in time to play on Sunday.
Andy Dalton started for the Bears in last Sunday’s rout of the Giants and is now likely to move into position to start again this weekend. Nick Foles would be the backup.
If Fields’ rookie season is over, it will end with 10 starts and 12 overall appearances under his belt. He was 159-of-270 for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also ran 72 times for 420 yards and two touchdowns.