Bear Necessities: Wide receivers praise Justin Fields at NFL combine

What’s the latest with the Chicago Bears?

It’s been a busy week of action at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a number of top wide receiver prospects making it clear they’d love to play with Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

Here’s a look at the most recent and relevant Bears stories for the morning of March 5.

Latest Bears news

• Several top wide receiver prospects expressed their desire to play with Justin Fields at the NFL level.
• Fields’ former Ohio State teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba blasted critics that said Fields is just a running back playing quarterback.
• Jordan Addison made a heck of a pitch to Chicago: “I’m the playmaker they need.”
• We took a look at some potential roster cut candidates and whether we think they’ll be back in 2023.
• The Bears need to overhaul the offensive line, and there are some notable prospects to keep an eye on at the NFL combine on Sunday.Outside of Fields, Chicago lacks explosive players on offense. Adding Saquon Barkley in free agency would go a long way.
• Michael Schofield served as a key reserve along the interior of the Bears’ offensive line. But does he have a future in Chicago?

Around the NFC North

• One of the top tackles in the NFL draft, Northwestern’s Pete Skoronski said it would be a “dream come true” to play for his hometown Packers.
• The Vikings continue to rework their coaching staff, hiring Southern Illinois’ Dalmin Gibson to serve as an assistant special teams coach.
• The Lions are going to be very selective in the draft process, as Dan Campbell says they’re looking for the best Lions player, not necessarily the best available.

Around the NFL

• The Raiders are expected to use the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides can’t reach a new deal before Tuesday’s deadline.
• The Cowboys are expected to franchise tag running back Tony Pollard if a long-term deal isn’t reached.
• Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is reportedly seeking more than $45 million per year in contract extension.
• Kicker Robbie Gould will test free agency instead of returning to the 49ers in 2023.