INDIANAPOLIS — Bears general manager Ryan Poles kept his options open Tuesday as he weighs the choices of drafting USC quarterback Caleb Williams or sticking with Justin Fields.
However, Poles would like to figure it out sooner than later, for everyone’s benefit.
“It depends on what opportunities pop up,” Poles said. “If we go down that road, I want to do right by Justin as well. No one wants to live in gray. I know that’s uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to be in that situation, either. We’ll gather the information, we’ll move as quickly as possible. We’re not gonna be in a rush.”
He added, “I understand how uncomfortable it is for him, but it is part of this business. It’s a unique situation.”
Poles will be the most popular man at the NFL scouting combine this week as teams try to sway him during the biggest decision of his Bears tenure. If he keeps the top pick and drafts Williams, it almost certainly means he’ll trade Fields. He said every person he sees from another team immediately asks about his plan at quarterback, but he hasn’t had any “big-time conversations” about trading the No. 1 pick.
When asked when he’d like to have a decision made and move forward, Poles said flatly, “Tomorrow.” He might have been exaggerating, but he certainly wasn’t joking.
With the combine this week and free agency opening March 11, Poles is motivated to resolve the quarterback situation soon. He should hear proposals from other teams for both trade possibilities at the combine.
Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and has long been the consensus best prospect in the draft. He threw 72 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions over the last two seasons.
Fields, meanwhile, was the No. 11 pick in 2021 — by former general manager Ryan Pace. He has not delivered a convincing performance over two seasons under Poles and coach Matt Eberflus, and last season finished 20th or worse in completion percentage, yards passing and passer rating.
