Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is going to be the talk of the NFL world in the coming weeks and months.
Fields finished up shop on the third so-so season to begin his career in the Windy City. Whether the former first-round pick from Ohio State did enough to keep his job remains to be seen. But the fact that Chicago has the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will play a role in the Bears’ decision-making process.
In giving his season-ending press conference, Bears general manager Ryan Poles provided a rather interesting quote when asked about Fields’ future in Chicago.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of questions on Justin, there’s going to be a lot of questions on the draft process. We are in information gathering mode right now. We are going to turn every stone to make sure that we are going to make a sound decision for our organization.”
Poles on Justin Fields’ future with the Chicago Bears
Poles and Bears head coach Matt Eberflus were seemingly on the hot seat themselves throughout the 2023 season. But team president Kevin Warren opted to keep the two after they led Chicago to a 7-6 record after an 0-4 start to the season.
The GM didn’t really address that during the press conference. But it does raise some questions about Fields’ future in Chicago, especially following the firing of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
Related: How Justin Fields convinced the Chicago Bears to choose Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in April
Chicago Bears GM non-committal about Justin Fields future
“We are going to turn every stone to make sure that we are going to make a sound decision for our organization,” Poles said. “I did think Justin got better. I think he can lead this team. But at the same time, there is a unique situation. I have to look and our staff has to look at everything, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
Poles and Co. know that they are under a ton of pressure to ace this offseason. They have the No. 1 pick in the draft stemming from the trade with the Carolina Panthers last spring. They have a ton of cap room and some really nice young talent.
But it’s going to be all about the quarterback position. In 38 career starts, Field has led Chicago to a 10-28 record. He’s accounted for 40 touchdown passes with 30 interceptions during that span.
None of this is going to cut it if Poles and Eberflus want to keep their jobs beyond next season. Whether selecting USC’s Caleb Williams at one would come with a risk, it might also create more job security for the two. That also has to be part of the decision-making process in Chicago.