The Chicago Bears hope to move "as quickly as possible" on whether they will draft a quarterback or go in another direction while keeping Justin Fields.

The Bears own the No. 1 pick in the draft for the second straight season. Last year, the Bears traded the pick to the Carolina Panthers, which led to the No. 1 pick this year.

"It just depends on what opportunities pop up," GM Ryan Poles said. "I will say this, I think you guys know me well enough now, if we go down that road, I want to do right by Justin as well. No one wants to live in gray, I know that's uncomfortable. I wouldn't want to be in that situation either. So, we will gather the information -- we will move as quickly as possible, [but] we are not going to be in a rush -- and see what presents itself and what's best for the organization."

Caleb Williams is widely considered the presumptive No. 1 pick in the draft.

In an interview with Peter King of NBC Sports, Kyle Shanahan discussed what went on in the draft room of the San Francisco 49ers leading up to their selection of Brock Purdy in April 2022.

The 49ers had the 32nd and final Compensatory Pick of the draft after C.J. Beathard had signed a cheap free agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the previous offseason. After trading multiple picks in the 2021 draft to trade up for Trey Lance, it was difficult for Shanahan to justify using another pick on a quarterback.

“I was sure Brock was worthy of the fourth round, and we put a fourth-round grade on him,” Shanahan said. “There was no way we could take him for our team. But we’re sitting there in the seventh, and all these picks go by, he’s still there. That’s when I get to hear our linebacker coaches, all the scouts, other coaches, everybody who’s talking, saying things like: I can’t believe my guy is still there in the seventh! I love this guy. Or, We got all these needs! You traded those ones last year! We don’t need a quarterback to be our third guy. Or, Kyle! We can still get him as a free agent. He’s not gonna get drafted. I mean, it’s all coming down on me.

“You hear all this stuff and the last thing you wanna be is the offensive head coach who’s like, ‘Nope, we’re taking my favorite quarterback.’ I get it—this linebacker, this running back might start for us … This linebacker might be the next dude. I remember saying before the draft I wouldn’t be surprised if Brock was there in the seventh, or didn’t get drafted. Just how the NFL works.

“I’m always trying to check myself on this stuff. The pick’s coming up and I remember [club co-chair Dr. John York] asking, ‘Who’s the best player out there?’ I go, ‘Well, there’s no doubt Purdy’s the best player.’ He goes, ‘Then what are we talking about?’ I was like, ‘Well, there’s other spots. Also, we might be able to get him as a free agent for $10,000 after the draft.’ Dr. York can’t believe it. He’s looking at me like, I don’t get why there’s discussion if you guys think he’s the best player.

“Then it gets closer. I’m also getting the feeling we’re not getting Purdy as a free agent because there are so many other teams who are going to try to sign him. He wasn’t coming to us. He’s told me since then he was signing somewhere else. I said in the room, ‘Let’s not risk it. This guy’s too good.’

“John and I, we took Purdy. And thank God we did.”