Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles said quarterback Justin Fields would be the team's starting quarterback in a Tuesday conference, according to a Tuesday tweet from the Athletic Chicago Bears beat writer Kevin Fishbain. He said he would need to be “absolutely blown away” to consider the possibility of selecting a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Fields gained over 2,200 passing yards and just over 1,100 rushing yards as the Windy City's main passing option. The 23-year-old quarterback broke former Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's single-game rushing record for a quarterback after he rushed for 178 yards against the Miami Dolphins in early November. Fields followed that up with a 147-yard rushing performance during a 1-point loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 10.

“It’s really cool, man,” Vick told the Chicago Tribune. “We’ve been using our legs for the last 20, 25 years, and that is quarterbacks coming in all shapes and sizes. Now we all are embracing it as a way to show toughness, as a way to continue to move the chains and a way to continue to help offenses evolve.”

Headlined by Alabama junior quarterback Bryce Young, the 2023 NFL draft features a multitude of quarterbacks who could find themselves in the green room and beyond as NFL teams search for a new answer under center. Young passed for just above 3,300 yards and 32 touchdowns for an Alabama team that made it to the Sugar Bowl against the Kansas State Wildcats. The 6-foot quarterback passed for 321 yards and five touchdowns on 21 attempts as the Crimson Tide took a 45-2o victory in Caesars Superdome.

Though Justin Fields fell just 68 yards shy of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's single-season quarterback rushing record, the 6-foot-3-inch quarterback's 16th placement in passing touchdowns and 27th placement in passing yards left something to be desired, Chicago Sun-Times Bears reporter Patrick Finley wrote in a Tuesday article.

“He has to get better as a passer,” Poles said.