Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has backed Justin Fields as the team's quarterback for 2023, saying he would have to be "absolutely blown away" to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick.

"Yeah. We had good conversations," Poles said during his season-ending news conference. "I'm excited for the direction he's going. As I mentioned before, he knows where he has to improve. I think he mentioned that the other day. We're excited about his development and where he goes next. He showed ability to be impactful with his legs. There's flashes with his arm. Now if we can put that together, I think we have something really good."

Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud are considered the top quarterbacks in a draft class that could feature as many as four quarterbacks taken in the first round.

"We're going to do the same as we've always done," Poles said. "We're going to evaluate the draft class, and I would say this: I would have to be absolutely blown away to make that type of decision."