Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles addressed speculation regarding a potential trade centered around quarterback Justin Fields with the team currently holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday (February 27).
Poles didn't confirm whether he planned to use the No. 1 pick on another quarterback, but did specify that he wanted "to do right by Justin" if the Bears do "go down that road."
"No one wants to live in grey," Poles told reporters in a video shared by ESPN's Adam Schefter on his X account Tuesday. "I know that's uncomfortable, I wouldn't want to be in that situation either so we'll gather the information, 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."
Poles and the Bears find themselves in the same position as last offseason, having faced speculation on Fields' future while holding the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Chicago, instead, opted to trade the pick to the Carolina Panthers in a package that included the eventual No. 1 pick it now possesses for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Many speculate that the Bears will trade Fields and use this year's No. 1 pick on former USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, the top-ranked prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft. Fields acknowledged that he intended to stay with the Bears, who selected him at No. 11 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, but just wants the uncertainty to be over, during an appearance on the 'St. Brown Brothers' podcast alongside Bears wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and his brother, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier this month.
“If it was up to me, I would want to stay in Chicago. I love the city. The city’s lit. The fans are great," Fields said. "... The biggest thing is I just want it to be over. Let me know if I’m getting traded [or] let me know if I’m staying.”
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