INDIANAPOLIS (670 The Score) -- With the Bears owning just five draft picks this year, new general manager Ryan Poles may be inclined to trade down and compile additional selections.
"Obviously, you want a lot of picks," Poles said Tuesday at the NFL Combine. "But that's just the hand we were dealt. And we'll be open-minded on how we can create more picks, and we'll be smart about that."
On the other hand, if Poles wants to get aggressive in bringing quarterback Justin Fields a dynamic wide receiver in this draft, there could be an avenue to reunite him with a former Ohio State teammate in Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave.
It would certainly be difficult given the Bears' draft position this April. After dealing their 2022 first-round pick as part of the trade up for Fields last year, the Bears' first selection is at No. 39 overall in the second round. They also hold a third-round pick (No. 71), two in the fifth round (No. 147 and No. 149) and one in the sixth (No. 184).
The Bears need to undergo significant roster overhaul under the watch of Poles, who was hired in January to replace former general manager Ryan Pace. It's a major undertaking awaiting that he has indicated will take time and careful consideration in the draft and elsewhere.
Even so, Poles has already mentioned the importance of immediately adding playmakers for Fields. Poles and the Bears are well-aware of how big of an impact dynamic receiver Ja'Marr Chase had on the Bengals after they selected him at No. 5 overall in the first round in 2021. A former LSU teammate of quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase had a strong connection with Burrow as the Bengals made a run to the Super Bowl. The two connected for 13 touchdowns as Chase was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
With that in mind, the Bears know what a player like Wilson or Olave could mean to them. And both of those two would love to play with Fields again.
"That would be awesome to link back up with him," Wilson said of Fields.
Added Olave: "I can't wait to see his career take off."
Wilson and Olave are both projected to be taken in the first round and should garner considerable attention. But this is also a deep class of wide receivers, meaning teams will have options – and some talented players could fall to the second day.
Wilson hauled in 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2021, while Olave had 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 scores. Both players had dynamic connections with Fields during his two seasons (2019-'20) as Ohio State's starting quarterback.
For Poles, there's a careful balance to consider with his draft strategy. He has a roster full of needs – meaning the Bears could benefit by trading for additional picks – but Fields also desperately needs greater support on offense.
"There's a high ceiling," Poles said. "It's just putting him in a position to succeed and seeing how high that ceiling really is."
So, if one of Fields' former wide receivers starts falling in the draft, Poles and the Bears could be inclined to get aggressive.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
