NFL Combine: Ryan Poles continues to hedge his bets on Bears QB Justin Fields

INDIANAPOLIS — Justin Fields isn’t getting traded. Right? 

Bears fans from all across the country have voiced their passionate views about keeping QB1 right where he is. The Bears finally have a quarterback they say. We are not trading him. Stop talking about it on the CHGO Bears Podcast or anywhere else please and thank you. 

The reality is only Ryan Poles will make this decision and when Poles was asked the inevitable question at the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday on whether things have changed on how Poles feels about Fields, Poles continued his offseason not fully committed dance. 

“I’m excited about where his game is going to go, but at the same time when you sit in our situation at one overall, you have to do your due diligence, you have to investigate everything, you have to spend time with those guys just to make sure we’re making the right decision,” Poles said.

Investigate everything. Due diligence. Right decision.Hmmm. That doesn’t mean anything right? Poles is just doing his job right? 

Probably. Most likely. I would be shocked if Fields is not in Chicago come Week 1 2023 . 

I have also been trying to put myself into Poles’ considerable shoes. I have my dream job at 37 years old. Even if I really liked Bryce Young or any other quarterback a lotttt, would I actually have the guts to make a trade with a player as popular as Fields and risk being wrong? My career would be on the line and or maybe over if I got it wrong.  
When Poles joined the CHGO Bears Podcast today, I asked him that question and one part of his response stood out. 

“There is a gut component of it. When you see something that you are like this feels right we are going to go for it but there are a lot of pieces that go into it.” Poles told CHGO. 

Gut. Component. 

At least part of the decision Poles has to make is going to be based on his gut. Justin Fields has not been given either the proper protection and or weapons to be successful to the level everyone wants yet. And, we have all the dynamic talent.

What is Poles’s gut telling him about what Fields will look like when he gets those weapons down the line? Only Poles knows the answer to that and at least for the time being, he is going to allow the rest of us — even Justin Fields — guess at what he will do in this pivotal draft for the Bears and Poles. 

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