Exactly one year ago today, Bears general manager Ryan Poles said he would have to be “absolutely blown away” if he were to use the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback. He didn't, giving the pick to the Panthers and sticking with Justin Fields.
The Bears are once again the No. 1 overall pick courtesy of the Panthers, and this time the Poles said the team won't make a hasty decision.
“I know there will be a lot of questions about Justin,” Poles said in a team memo. “There will be a lot of questions about the design process. We're in information gathering mode right now. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure we make an informed decision for our organization.
“I thought Justin was doing better. I think he can lead this team. But at the same time, there's a unique situation where I have to look and our staff has to look at everything, and that's exactly what we're going to do, and that goes for free agency as well. We will look at our free agents and my recruiting staff, make evaluations and again make the best decision possible so this organization can take the next step.”
The Bears, then with Ryan Pace as general manager and Matt Nagy as head coach, selected Fields with the 11th overall pick in 2021.
In 13 games this season, he threw for 2,562 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions and ran for 657 yards and four touchdowns. The Bears went 5-8 in his starts.
“We love where Justin is right now,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “He’s done a good job growing. He does a good job with interceptions, ball retention and sack totals, and he keeps his eyes on the field. He did a great job of that being able to score some goals and he will continue to grow as we grow as a football team.”
The Bears moved on from CJ Stroud last spring. Will they be without USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye this spring?
“We will do what is best for the organization,” Poles said. “I'm sure there will be similar situations regarding the tradeback, and I have to weigh all of those things to see what will help our team take the next step.”