Bears GM Ryan Poles Still Undecided on Justin Fields Trade

INDIANAPOLIS — For weeks, the rumors around Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers have swirled without a definitive plan from the Chicago Bears, the team holding the cards. Aside from the fact that the Steelers’ interest is not guaranteed, there was always the chance that the Bears moved out of the top overall selection and decided to keep Fields.

And while Bears general manager Ryan Poles did not rule that out, it seems like it’s heading toward Fields to be moved. Poles stated that they have no set plan yet, but the NFL Combine is the final touches on their plan. If they decide to move Fields is where the wrinkles come into play. Poles said that because they want to do right by Fields, they want to get him into a spot that would allow him the best chance to grow. That means the trade would come before free agency.

“It just depends on what opportunities pop up,” Poles said about Fields. “I will say this: If we go down that road, I wanna do right by Justin as well. No one wants to live in gray. I know that’s uncomfortable. I wouldn’t wanna be in that situation either. So we’ll gather the information. We’ll move as quickly as possible. We’re not gonna be in a rush. And (we’ll) see what presents itself and what’s best for the organization.”

Poles noted that he is having open contact with Fields and his team. Meanwhile, other teams apparently can not stop calling him between Fields and the top overall selection. But he will maintain transparency with Fields throughout the entire process in an effort to keep him in the loop about conversations.

“I’ve been in contact with his team and let them know kinda what we’re looking at,” Poles said. “Now, how things might play out, and that we’ll continue to communicate. He’ll be in the loop. It’s part of this business. It is a unique situation.”

Fields took a small step forward in 2023, his third year as Chicago’s starting quarterback. The 24-year-old Ohio State alum threw 370 times, completing 227 for 2,562 yards and 16 touchdowns. He threw nine interceptions and maintained an 86.3 passer rating and a 5.29 adjusted net yards per attempt.

Last season, he was 192 of 318 for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, an 85.2 quarterback rating and 4.63 adjusted net yards per attempt.

Fields is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Bears — or another team, if he’s traded — must decide this offseason if they want to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract. That would be a guaranteed $25 million contract for 2025. The Bears or another club could also attempt to negotiate a traditional contract extension.

But the Steelers are a team that seems connected to Fields, if for nothing else, due to pre-draft notions of interest. That does not mean they will land him, but it can not be entirely ruled out. And Fields seems loved in that Bears locker room. Poles even noted that the locker room support for Fields is something that will make moving on from Fields hard.

“It’s my job to think of the long term and a lot of our guys kind of don’t see that. It’s not their job to do that, and they defend their guy, which I think speaks volumes about our culture in that locker room,” Poles said.

Chicago has until after the NFL Draft to trade for Fields, with the only thing forcing their hand is the May deadline to pick up his fifth-year option for 2025. Even that will probably be done by a team acquiring Fields, but the Bears doing it ahead of time may limit their trade options.

The bigger pills to swallow for the acquiring team than the draft pick layout will be what they’ll have to pay Fields, and quickly. They’ll likely have to pick up his option for 2025, estimated at over $23 million, and then he will quickly need a contract extension if he pans out. Spotrac projects that such an extension could be worth six years, $238 million.