Odds for Justin Fields to land with the Falcons shoot up … again

Odds for Justin Fields to land with the Falcons shoot up … again originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

One day after the Falcons' odds to land Justin Fields took a commanding lead over the rest of the field, they shot up ... again. Indeed, the betting odds shifted from -300 to -425 for Fields to land in his hometown this offseason, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

It was once the Steelers who were in the lead, but now the Falcons take over. Behind the Falcons (-425 now), the Bears (+250), Steelers (+450), Raiders (+1200), Giants (+1800) and Patriots (+2200) follow.

A league told NBC Sports Chicago's Josh Schrock the Falcons have checked in with the Bears about Fields. It's unclear how far those conversations went but there's reason to expect them to pick back up at the NFL combine, the same place general manager Ryan Poles developed the framework for last year's trade with the Panthers for the No. 1 pick.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris' comments certainly turned heads at the NFL combine, too, as he alluded to Fields as a potential fit without explicitly saying his name.

"You want to go get the best fit for your people, you want to get the best fit for your coaches, you want to go get the best fit for our city, and you want to do all those things," Morris told CBS Sports on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine about Atlanta's QB search. "There's nothing ruled out. I forgot to mention trades, because all of those things come into play. We’ve really been tedious, we’ve really been going through the process of how we are going to acquire the best fit for us."

Morris' mention of "best fit" for the city caught people's attention, as Fields is a Georgia native. He doubled down on his comments, acknowledging he would send ripples with his details.

He didn't shy away from the importance of gaining a leader and someone who connects with the city.

"People are going to read into those words or whatever – however they do those things," Morris said. "There are people that are from Atlanta. There are people from around Atlanta. You can name the milage of how close some of those people are. You got to do what’s best and what’s right for your team at the right time. We won’t rule out anything until we have to make those decisions at that date.”

Amid an uncertain future, Fields spoke for the first time this offseason with the St. Brown brothers on "The 33rd Team" podcast. There, he talked about his desire for the Fields vs. Caleb Williams debate to be over; he wants to know where his destiny lies next.

But he also shared his thoughts on his hometown team.

"I think they got a lot of playmakers on the team," Fields said. "Of course, Bijan [Robinson]. They got my boy Kyle [Pitts] there. Of course, Drake [London]. They probably need one more receiver, but they definitely got some guys over there. And their defense was good this year, too."

If it were up to him, he would prefer to stay in Chicago.

"Yeah, of course. Of course, I want to stay," Fields said. "To be honest, bruh, I be tryna like ... with all the talk [about Caleb Williams, his trade rumors, etc.] it's hard to just, you know, be in one place. But I can't see myself playing in another place.

"If it was up to me, I would want to stay in Chicago. I love the city. The city's lit. The fans there, they're great. It's a business. I ain't got no control over it. Whatever happens, happens."

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