Chicago Bears making serious run at No. 1 draft pick

Jan 31, 2022; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears General new Manager Ryan Poles speaks during a Press Conference Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears announced a move on Wednesday that should bring them closer to the No. 1 draft pick in 2023.

The Bears said that Justin Fields is out with a sore hip and won’t be playing in the team’s Week 18 game at home against the Minnesota Vikings. An MRI apparently revealed that Fields has a strained hip.

MRI revealed a hip "strain". Eberflus says it's not a long-term injury, but says Fields would have been held out even if the Bears were fighting for the playoffs this week.

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 4, 2023

Fields was seen battling injuries in Week 17, so the report that he will not be starting in Week 18 is not too much of a surprise.

Consequently, the Bears will be starting Nathan Peterman at quarterback for the game.

A 5th-round pick by the Bills in 2017, Peterman is notorious for just how awful he was in limited action with the Bills in 2017 and 2018. The 28-year-old threw for no touchdowns and five interceptions in his first career start. He has thrown for 3 career touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Considering the Minnesota Vikings will be fighting for a higher playoff seed, the Bears will have a lot to overcome to get a win. That might be a good thing for the organization, which has lost nine in a row and is 3-13 this season.

The Bears are currently behind the Houston Texans for the worst record in the league. Houston is 2-13-1 but visits the 4-11 Colts in Week 18, which is a winnable game. Things could be lining up for the Bears to land the top pick in the 2023 draft.