When rumors began filtering out that the Chicago Bears were considering a quarterback change, a lot of players didn’t like it. They felt Justin Fields had done enough to deserve more time. He’d improved steadily throughout the 2023 season and helped them to a 7-10 record despite a rough 0-4 start. D.J. Moore, Jaylon Johnson, Braxton Jones, and others spoke out publicly about wanting Fields to stay. GM Ryan Poles understood their feelings, but he had to make a tough decision. In his mind, the Bears had likely hit their ceiling with Fields.