NFL Rumors: Bears to Meet with Top QBs at Combine, Likely to Stick with Justin Fields

Amid reports that the Chicago Bears are looking to trade the top pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the organization still plans to meet with several of the top quarterback prospects during the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

While general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus will do their due diligence, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Bears have already contacted several teams to try to sell their pick.

That would mean that the organization is leaning towards keeping Justin Fields, the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft, as its starting signal-caller for the foreseeable future.

The combine will offer Poles a perfect opportunity to not only scout the quarterbacks and get to interview them, but to also have conversations with other teams that may be willing to give Chicago a nice haul for the top pick.

Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson make up the highest-rated quarterbacks in this year's class and will be in Indianapolis this week.

Jones' sources questioned whether any of the quarterbacks in the draft—talented as they are—were a significant upgrade over Fields, who is coming off a breakout season for the Bears.

Fields, 23, steadily improved as a passer in 2022, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was perhaps the best rushing quarterback in the league, however, running for 1,143 yards and eight more scores.

His 1,143 rush yards are the second-most in a single season by a quarterback in NFL history, trailing only Lamar Jackson's MVP 2019 season.

There will be no shortage of suitors for the Bears as there are several teams in the top 10 that are in desperate need of a quarterback. The Texans (second and 12th overall picks), Colts (fourth) and Carolina (ninth) are all prime trade-up candidates that will have their eyes on the elite bunch of signal-callers in this year's class.