National Football League

Bears 'want to do right' by Justin Fields if they draft QB with No. 1 pick

Updated Feb. 27, 2024 1:21 p.m. ET

The Chicago Bears haven't made a quarterback decision yet, but they might be setting a soft deadline.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles implied that the team would trade Justin Fields sooner rather than later if they decided to select a quarterback with the No. 1 pick.

"It just depends on what opportunities pop up. I will say … if we go down that road, I want to do right by Justin as well," Poles said when asked by reporters if the Bears would trade Fields ahead of free agency in the event they opt to select a quarterback. "No one wants to live in gray. I know that's uncomfortable. I wouldn't want to be in that situation either. So, we'll gather the information and we'll move as quickly as possible. We're not going to be in a rush and see what presents itself and what's best for the organization."

Chicago enters the NFL Scouting Combine with the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight offseason. Last year, the Bears traded the pick to the Carolina Panthers, who gave up the first-round selection that turned into the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

As the Bears bypassed selecting a top quarterback in last year's draft, it might be harder to do the same thing in this year's draft. USC's Caleb Williams is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, as many draft evaluators have called him a generational prospect and one of the best quarterbacks to enter the draft in recent memory.

The Bears' plans for the No. 1 overall pick remain unclear, but rumors emerged Monday that they might be leaning toward trading the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight season. Poles, however, left an air of uncertainty when he spoke with reporters at the combine on Tuesday.

"The hot topic: The first pick, the quarterback situation," Poles said. "Contrary to reports out there, I have no master plan to present everyone today. This is an opportunity for us to continue to gather information, learn about the different players in the draft, listen to what opportunities could come up and then, at the end of the day, we're going to make the best decision that we can for the Chicago Bears. It will not be based on fear of what could happen with this, what could happen with that.

"We're going to put our information together and make the best decision."

After struggling early in 2023, Fields seemed to make the decision a bit more difficult for the Bears. The third-year quarterback led the Bears to four wins in their final six games, throwing for 1,192 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 316 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns over that stretch.

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But the Bears have a pricey decision to make this offseason. Fields is eligible for a $25.6 million fifth-year option for the 2025 season, and would need an extension after that if retained.

Fields stirred up controversy last week when he unfollowed the Bears on Instagram, with people wondering if he wanted to remain in Chicago. He later clarified that he wanted to remain in the Windy City, but wanted some clarity on his future soon.

Poles empathized with that.

"I've been in contact with his team and let them know kinda what we're looking at, how things might play out, and that we'll continue to communicate," Poles said. "... It's part of this business. It is a unique situation."