2023 NFL Draft odds: Bears could steal No. 1 overall pick from Texans but will not shut down Justin Fields

It would benefit the Chicago Bears to lose out – they are on an eight-game losing streak – and get the highest selection possible in the 2023 NFL Draft in order to have their choice of a defensive player or trade back with a quarterback-needy team. Yet Bears coach Matt Eberflus has confirmed the team will not shut down QB Justin Fields to "tank" despite the future of the franchise playing through a shoulder and foot injury. Chicago is +6 at playoff-hopeful Detroit this Sunday.

Fields has been playing through a left shoulder injury since Week 13 -- he sat out Week 12 -- and aggravated it during the Week 16 loss to the Bills. He also had his foot stepped on. Fields didn't look quite the same from a running perspective vs. Buffalo with a season-low 11 yards rushing on seven carries (tied for fewest). Fields said postgame that he couldn't bear full weight on his injured foot but expected to be "good to go." Eberflus said he sees value in Fields playing out the remainder of the season if healthy.

"Because we've got to get better," Eberflus explained. "We want to improve. We want to see where we are. These last two games matter. They're division opponents to us, very important to our football team to see the competition, to see guys compete against our division. I think it's important for each man, it's important for each unit and it's important for our whole football team."

The Houston Texans have the league's worst record at 2-12-1 and would pick first if they lose out, but they are playing a lot better of late – well enough that former Bears coach Lovie Smith might actually be back for a second year in Houston. The Texans easily could have won Week 14 in Dallas (lost in final minute) and Week 15 vs. Kansas City (lost on walk-off overtime TD) and upset the Titans on Christmas Eve, 19-14, in Nashville.

Should Houston lose one more game – it hosts Jacksonville on Sunday and upset the Jags in Week 5, and visits nothing-to-play for Indianapolis in Week 18 – and Chicago loses out (closes home vs. Minnesota), the Bears would get the top pick for the first time since 1947 when George Halas' team selected Oklahoma State running back Bob Fenimore, who retired after one NFL season.

The current favorite to be the top overall pick in 2023 at Caesars Sportsbook is Alabama QB Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman winner, at +135 followed by Ohio State QB CJ Stroud at +155.

There's virtuallyno chance the Bears are taking a quarterback because Fields looks like a blossoming star. Chicago needs major help on defense and could go with Tide pass-rusher Will Anderson (+500) or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter (+750) if it doesn't trade back.

There's little doubt the Texans will select a QB, but perhaps not at No. 1 overall if they get that pick because they also have the current No. 11 pick from Cleveland via the Deshaun Watson trade.

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