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Fields was selected in the first round (11th
overall) of the 2021 draft, with 2022 being his first full
season as the Bears' starter. He finished the year with 2,242
passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions plus 1,143 yards
on the ground with eight rushing scores.
The Bears went 3-14, losing their final 10 games (Fields missed
two due to injury) and passing the Houston Texans on the final
day of the regular season for the worst record and top overall
pick.
Fields said he had not spoken with the Bears about their plans,
only having a standard exit meeting at the end of the season.
Eisen asked Fields if he would want the Bears to keep him in the
know if they "do their due diligence" of working out top
prospects like Alabama's Bryce Young or Ohio State's C.J.
Stroud.
"Oh, yeah, for sure. I think everybody would love honesty in the
process," Fields said, "so I would definitely like to know that.
And, you know, it's a business. So totally understand, no hard
feelings. But like I said, I control what I can control. Control
my work ethic, control how I carry myself each and every day."
Fields was then asked if he felt he already has "proven (his)
worth" as the Bears' franchise quarterback.
"I think I've shown a little bit, but I don't think I've shown
the world what I can do in terms of playing the full quarterback
position and playing it consistently," Fields said, pointing to
his final game against Detroit, when he completed just 7 of 21
passes for 75 yards.
Chicago general manager Ryan Poles could go a number of
directions with the No. 1 pick -- replace Fields with an even
younger high-quality prospect, select a defensive player to help
a unit that ranked last in points allowed last year or trade out
with a quarterback-needy team.
--Field Level Media
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