Tremaine Edmunds says Justin Fields ‘makes guys around him better’

If there’s one thing we’re learning quickly about new Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, it’s that he’s a natural leader. He speaks with confidence and has the kind of messaging that makes it obvious why GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus targeted him in free agency.

Edmunds is settling in nicely as the Bears’ vocal leader on defense, but the team belongs to Justin Fields. Edmunds probably would admit that if you asked him, too.

“You can see that he makes guys around him better,” Edmunds said of Fields during the Bears” OTAs. “He leads from the front. His work obviously speaks for itself. Just seeing him go out there every day and grow, develop, spreading the ball around, just his thinking. I’m seeing it first hand and I’m excited.”

Edmunds isn’t alone in his excitement for Fields” upside. The young quarterback nearly broke the single-season rushing record for his position last year, and now that he’s armed with a bona fide stud WR1 — DJ Moore — there’s no telling what he’s capable of in 2023.

“They got a lot of good things going on the offensive side,” Edmunds said. “With his leadership and the way that he leads and obviously his playmaking abilities, it’s something to be excited about for sure.”

Edmunds signed a monster four-year, $72 million contract with the Chicago in free agency. He’s viewed as a cornerstone player on defense, and he’s chomping at the bit to get his Bears career started.

‘‘I’m excited, just because I feel like I’m going to be in a position to make a lot of plays,’’ he said. ‘‘Obviously, because of (Matt Eberflus’) background on defense, he has a great understanding of it, putting guys in position. As a player, that’s all you can really ask for is to be in a position, and now it’s up to me to make the play. So I’m excited about what’s to come.’’