Bears GM Poles Discusses Justin Fields Trade and Positive Reception of USC QB Caleb Williams by Teammates
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles addressed reporters on Monday, acknowledging that trading quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers was a difficult decision.
"It's probably one of the harder things I've had to do," he admitted. "I always touch on the empathy part. Having that conversation with my own son was hard. [Fields' jersey is] up in his room. So it kind of puts into perspective how difficult those moves are."
With the team transitioning to a new quarterback, likely to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, Poles spoke highly of USC's Caleb Williams, who is considered the top contender to be drafted first.
"He's intentional with his leadership," Poles remarked about Williams. "Same goes with the staff. I'm having a hard time finding a person that doesn't like him or even love him and thinks that he can reach the highest limits. The feedback's been good."
Regarding the decision to move on from Fields and transition to a rookie quarterback, Poles emphasized the benefits of having a quarterback on a rookie contract for another five seasons from a team-building perspective.
"It wasn't Justin vs. one of these rookies," he clarified. "It's really the timeline and how much runway you have."
Looking ahead, the rookie quarterback will have an array of weapons at their disposal. The Bears already boast receiver D.J. Moore and tight end Cole Kmet, and they bolstered the offense by signing free agent running back D'Andre Swift and acquiring star wideout Keenan Allen via trade for a fourth-round pick.
Poles described Allen as "an absolute perfect fit" to complement a rookie quarterback, highlighting his understanding of the game, timing, space, and ability to read defenses, which will be invaluable for the young signal-caller.
| POLL | ||
25 MARS | 142 ANSWERS Bears GM Poles Discusses Justin Fields Trade and Positive Reception of USC QB Caleb Williams by Teammates Should the Bears draft Caleb Williams? | ||
| yes | 90 | 63.4 % |
| No | 52 | 36.6 % |
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