Ryan Poles has finally explained about the reason behind his decision to stay with Justin Fields
What to do with Justin Fields was by far the biggest choice GM Ryan Poles had to make during the off-season. His 2022 campaign was uneven. While he had a great running game and had the second-best quarterback season ever, his passing was a different story.
With 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, he barely averaged 149 yards a game. Numerous detractors claimed that his hesitation in the pocket and inability to act quickly with the ball prevent him from ever being a good quarterback.
The Chicago Bears have to make a decision. Either utilize their top overall pick to replace Justin Fields or keep him for another year. The rest of the story is known to everyone.
Fields was kept by Poles, who dealt the pick to Carolina in exchange for a plethora of additional picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore. Then he spent a lot of money adding additional talented offensive players like Robert Tonyan, Nate Davis, D’Onta Foreman, and Darnell Wright to the roster.
Poles has never provided a thorough justification for his decision. During a Rich Eisen podcast interview, that ultimately altered. It boiled down to two things: faith in Fields’ capacity for development and the understanding that such a move would benefit the Bears both now and in the long run.
It’s not like it happened on the spur of the moment. The Bears’ management spent months discussing the issue in depth. Many viewpoints were expressed. The choice was finally decided. There wouldn’t be time to turn around.
Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus don’t seem to have any regrets. Fields has appeared considerably better at this year’s training camp. He is more alert throughout drills, and the ball is coming out faster.
Rarely does the football touch the ground, demonstrating his increased accuracy. Everyone is pleased about his acceptance of responsibility for the offense itself more than anything else.
Ryan Poles will, of course, wait judgment until the end of the campaign. He wants to see outcomes on the playing field. Justin is aware of that. He is aware of his predicament. He needs to demonstrate his ability to beat teams with his arm if he wants to become a franchise player.
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In the 1970s, Bobby Douglass set a lot of groundwork. Despite breaking records at the time, he didn’t last long. It because he was unable to throw. Nowadays, fans are much less patient. For Fields, the time is now or never.
