Justin Fields Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Since the Chicago Bears selected former Ohio State Buckeyes star quarterback Justin Fields in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s been clear that the team intended to build the roster around him for the foreseeable future. But it seems that not only are the Bears trying to surround him with talent, but they’re letting him be a part of that process.

This week, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles revealed that the team included Justin Fields in conversations about the team’s NFL Draft plans.

“I want my quarterback part of the process. I told them what we were going to do. That relationship is important,” Poles told Cynthia Frelund of the NFL Network, according to Daniel Greenberg on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1657957985296031744

This is obviously a strong vote of confidence in Fields as it suggests that the team expects him to be leading the roster for years to come if they’re willing to give him some say in the long-term decisions of the team.

Fields is set to enter his third season in the league – his second season as the team’s full-time starter. While he certainly showed flashes of brilliance last season, it’s safe to say the team is hoping for a leap from him this year, especially in the passing game.

[Daniel Greenberg]