Bears’ Justin Fields on mindset if Chicago takes QB in NFL Draft: ‘Who am I playing for next?’
The Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and with it comes a plethora of options.
By going 3-14 during the regular season, the Bears found a way to leapfrog the Houston Texans at the end of the year, giving general manager Ryan Poles a ton of flexibility in the draft.
Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears attends SiriusXM At Super Bowl LVII on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
The Bears drafted a quarterback in the first round just two years ago, taking Justin Fields 11th overall in the 2021 draft.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FORMER COWBOYS COACH JIMMY JOHNSON ROASTS JERRY JONES OVER BIZARRE EAGLES COMPARISON
And while Fields has certainly shown flashes that he can be the answer at quarterback for the Bears, the 2022 draft has two quarterbacks at the top who would be hard to pass up.
With Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud coming out of college, some have floated the idea of Chicago trading Fields and drafting a QB at No. 1.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Friday, Fields was on Radio Row at Super Bowl LVII and discussed how he’d react if the Bears took a quarterback in the draft.
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
"I think they would let me know that before," Fields told Sports Illustrated Radio. "But what would be going through my mind is, ‘Who am I playing for next?’"
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"With all that going on, I just try to control the controllables. And focus on me. Focus on growing mentally, spiritually and, of course, physically, and as a quarterback this offseason."
While there has been some debate around what the Bears should do with the pick, Chicago’s general manager said he would have to be "absolutely blown away" to select a QB at the top of the draft.
"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said at his end-of-season press conference. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Justin Fields, #1 of the Chicago Bears, runs the ball during the first half in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on December 18, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Fields certainly improved in year two, throwing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games.
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He added 1,143 yards on the ground with eight touchdowns.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chicago is in an enviable position, should it choose to not draft a quarterback, as teams may be willing to trade up to draft a potential franchise quarterback.