Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles believes QB Justin Fields ‘has shown flashes’

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Hours before kickoff between the Bears and Patriots on “Monday Night Football,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles held a short Q&A with members of the media at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Poles reinforced his belief that his young football team is heading in the right direction.

Poles believes quarterback Justin Fields has shown “flashes” of potential. Poles wants to see more of that from Fields.

“He has shown the flashes of getting the ball out on time, being accurate, some of the deep shots – like even the one to [receiver Dante] Pettis was incredible,” Poles said. “So continuing to do those things, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Asked what he needs to see from Fields moving forward as he evaluates the QB’s future, Poles said he wants to see Fields executing what he’s being asked to do.

“The beautiful thing about football, it’s reliant on everybody else,” Poles said. “As a whole we have to improve, and I think we’ll see everyone’s stats get better and then we’ll start to ascend.”

Asked if he believes he has done enough to put talent around Fields this season, Poles said “yeah.” He said the front office will continue to “chip away” at the team’s needs moving forward.

There has been some criticism that the Bears didn’t sign enough talent at wide receiver and didn’t do enough to address the offensive line over the offseason. Neither current starting offensive tackle has a full season’s worth of starts under his belt. Receiver Darnell Mooney is the only pass catcher – whether that’s at receiver, running back or tight end – with more than 10 catches through the first six games.

“Everything we’re going to do or doing is to sustain success over a long period of time,” Poles said. “Within that, I think we can still evaluate our players – from the quarterback to guys on defense and all the positions.”

Poles also reiterated his support for first-year head coach Matt Eberflus and first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Poles and his team could be busy in the next week as the Nov. 1 trade deadline approaches. Asked specifically about running back David Montgomery, he said Montgomery’s contract – which ends after this season – will not affect whether the team looks to move him. Poles noted that Montgomery is “one of my favorite players on the team.”

He would not address if the Bears will be in the market for a wide receiver or if they could be looking to move a veteran such as pass rusher Robert Quinn.

“We’re always going to be active in the terms of if it’s making phone calls or picking up the phone and just seeing if that is something that can improve our team and it makes sense for us. ... It’s sustaining success for a long period of time. It’s not the short fix all the time.”